Mass Effect: Liberation - Part 1
by Cerberus Agent
Summary: "Why does it feel so strange? Why do I feel so close to you? We are from two different species. We have almost nothing in common. But why do I feel the need to be with you? It makes no sense." Part 1 is Mass Effect 1. Will be rated M much later. Prologue/Chapter 1 updated 11-24-13
1. Prologue

_**Author's Notes**_

Welcome, readers, to my very first story here on FanFiction. I will try keeping this as short as possible. This is a rewritten story my favorite pairing in the the Mass Effect series, male Shepard and Liara T'Soni.

The cover art is also by me. Be sure to check my profile for my DeviantArt account link where you can see more!

One more thing... please leave a review (good or bad), I would love to hear what you think as this is my first story. Your input is greatly appreciated!

**_End of Notes**_

**_Prologue_**

_Therum, 2183_

Doctor T'Soni sat in the driver's seat her rental skycar. She looked out the driver's side window and smiled faintly at the billowing gaseous clouds below. "Can you believe it, Treeya? We actually made it to Therum."

Treeya shrugged and let out a heavy sigh. "I can believe it," she muttered under her breath.

"We finally got the funding, though," Liara said excitedly. "We're actually doing this…"

Treeya shrugged and continued to look outside of her window. "How did you acquire the funding anyway, Doctor? You never told me."

Liara sighed and shook her head as she reflected on the terrifying speech she had to make to the financial board. "The administration decided to ignore all of my messages, and I concluded that it was probably best to confront them in person," she said apprehensively.

"Oh? And how did that go?"

"I made the speech, and we got the funding," she said simply and hoped to drop it there.

Treeya raised her brow at the doctor curiously. "What did you say to secure the funding?"

Liara shook her head slowly. "They were about to dismiss me… but I told them that it was absolutely necessary that we come here considering the mine was scheduled to reopen. They gave us the opportunity to come here last year, but you and I were already scheduled for the Quana dig. Goddess was that terrible…" she said quietly as she reflected on the horrid experience.

Treeya remembered that dig all too well, and she was sure she was never going to go on another 'exciting' dig again. "Looters have priority over the artifacts because they are armed, Doctor."

Liara shook her head slowly. "I would have used my biotics, but we were outnumbered. Unless you planned on bringing a gun yourself, Treeya."

Treeya flustered for a moment and looked out the window. "You know how I feel about warfare, Doctor..."

"Yes, you've made it quite clear on Quana, Treeya," Liara groaned back. She ignored the pessimistic thoughts and thought about her destination. The human colony of Therum was a planet she had always had on her list of places to go excavate but never got around to actually getting there before now. since then, she was weirdly fascinated with the planet covered in lava and precious minerals.

Her initial research on the planet wasn't all that helpful, but she did learn some basic facts about the Protheans that inhabited the planet long before its current occupants. Like the humans that lived there now, the Protheans used the planet almost exclusively for harvesting precious minerals and heavy metals. When they mysteriously vanished from the galaxy, they left little behind, but Therum was a slight exception. There were hundreds of mines left on the planet that had been savagely utilized by the new human occupants. However, there were a few left that were still rather untouched by younger hands.

The mine she and her apprentice were heading to was recently closed by the company that owned it due to the valuable artifacts they found within. Serrice University was quickly informed of the artifacts by the company but didn't do much in response. The news eventually made its way to Liara, and that was when she started begging the school to let her go. It was by luck she secured the funding; the mine was scheduled to reopen in a matter of weeks. There was no telling what was waiting for her inside of the mines. Such uncertainty was both the magic and the mystery of her field, and it excited her like nothing else in the galaxy. She was nearly bouncing in her seat just thinking about it.

Treeya crossed her arms and rested her head against the window. "This place is detestable…" she groaned.

Liara was quite aware of her apprentice's objection to their trip. There were a few reasons she demanded that her neophyte accompany her. One of them being that she needed to have a partner in case something went terribly wrong. The other reason was for Treeya's sake as she needed to get a real learning experience, especially with how far she had come in her doctorate.

Liara glanced down at the dash to check their map, and they were less than two kilometers away.

A faint smile formed at the edges of Liara's lips, and she accelerated the skycar to get there faster.

"How much farther are we going, Doctor?" Treeya asked as she looked down at one of the dreadful lava flows.

Liara's eyes darted to her passenger's face, and she instantly saw the worried lines on her brow. "We are less than two kilometers from the dig site. What has you concerned?"

Treeya peered out of the window again. "Doctor, this planet is entirely volcanic, and we're about to go underground to a dig site, where we will spend the next week of our lives. This can't possibly be a good idea, can it?"

Liara frowned and wasn't bothered by her apprentices worrying in the least. "Treeya… if the dig site survived the last fifty thousand years, I am sure we will be fine spending a week down there. There is nothing to worry about. Now, can you please make sure we have everything? Just one last time?" Liara asked as she began to steer the skycar into an approach.

Treeya turned around and scanned the single crate along with their tool bags lazily. "Yes, Doctor, everything is here... I am still missing my personal fruits, though," she commented.

"Treeya, you are going to have to learn that not all digs are going to be comfortable... especially the exciting ones. I don't have fresh fruits either, but that's okay. We have nutrition bars and a moisture collector, that is everything we need," Liara chided. Her eyes landed on the dig site ahead and quickly grew even more excited.

Treeya simply stayed quiet and wracked her brain for a solution to the issue.

The skycar came to a stop and landed on the rocky surface in front of the dig site. The door and ceiling quickly popped open.

Liara nearly leapt out of the skycar to look around the area in wonder. The heat of the planet instantly hit her face, and she detected that it was much hotter there than Nova Yekaterinburg. Her eyes found the entrance to the open mine shaft. As much as she wanted to dive inside and explore, she needed to set her camp up.

Treeya got out of the vehicle and stepped towards Liara. She looked about the complex for a brief moment and sighed.

"Isn't this just wonderful?" Liara asked as she turned to her apprentice.

"Yes... I... may I please go back to the colony to pick up some personal items? I apologize, Doctor, but there are some things I just can't work without," she finally admitted.

Liara's expression changed to disapproval, and she wanted to scold her. You could have told me this before we left the colony. Patience, Liara... she is young, just as you are.

Liara hovered on the edge of disapproval for a moment, but she didn't want to listen to Treeya whine. She sighed after a moment and gave her the car's controller. "Yes, go ahead. Just don't take too long. Let me get my crate first," Liara said before making her way to the skycar.

"Thank you, Doctor," Treeya said, some life returning to her voice.

"You're welcome, Treeya," Liara said before her fists glowed a gentle blue. She raised them up a little below her chest, and the crate gently slid out of the car. "There, you can take care of your errands now."

Treeya was in the skycar and already closing the doors the moment she got in.

Liara watched the vehicle hum to life and lift off from the ground. It sped away in no time and disappeared from sight. Her eyes remained on the horizon as she thought about her partner's behavior. She shook her head and proceeded towards her crate to unpack.

Liara opened her crate and removed her cot first. She assembled it directly next to her crate and sat on it to take in the view. She had never been on a planet like Therum before, and she was sure she would spend most of her days underground, so now was her only chance to take a look at it. If the skies ever cleared of the gaseous clouds, she looked forward to sleeping outside. If not, then she would likely set up her field tent.

Liara felt a slight craving developing inside of her, and she reached back into her box to retrieve her favorite fruit flavored candies. They were her favorite thing to snack on during her expeditions... as well as most other tasks. She simply loved her confections. Her hands searched around the large crate, but she never felt the crinkly bag. She turned around and investigated the box frantically to find them. They were nowhere to be seen, and her face wilted. She slumped against the crate and sighed. Of all the things to forget, she forgot her favorite treats.

The doctor watched the vaporous clouds roll by, and she really wanted to start exploring.

However, going into the mine alone was very dangerous, and she decided to wait for her apprentice to return. She twiddled her thumbs and thought about things to do to pass the time. _Notes!_

Liara pulled out her datapad from the crate and synced it to her personal files on her laptop inside the crate. She preferred the ergonomics of the datapad when in the field over the bulkiness of a laptop.

_Daily Notes Year 2183_

_Part 248: Therum_

_The surface here is more dreadful than I thought it would be. It is sweltering here, but I am excited to begin my work. The planet has a certain mysterious feeling to it, and I am anxious to unlock them. Treeya was already complaining the moment we landed here at the dig site. She left with the skycar to acquire some additional supplies for her comfort from the main colony. I told her she has much to learn about field work, but of course she didn't listen. My small camp with my cot is assembled, and I am ready to begin my work. All I have to do now is wait for Treeya to return... whenever she returns. I can't take the wait, this is so exciting!_

_Personal Notes: Treeya needs to learn that these digs aren't going to be comfortable. She is a smart apprentice and I believe she will go far, but she can't just take off as soon as we get here. Where are my fruit candies? I swear I packed them at Serrice Univers_

Liara lifted her head from her datapad upon hearing a strange humming noise. It wasn't that of a skycar either. She carefully put away her notes and stood up from her cot to investigate.

A massive drop ship banked in from around the corner, taking her by surprise.

Liara's eyes widened at the strange looking design of the dropship and was unsure of its origin.

She instantly began panicking as the warbling sound of synthetic communications came from the path that led up to her camp. Her heart started racing as she looked for places to hide, but the entire complex was rather exposed. She had small encounters before with privateers and mercs in her past, but she had never been confronted with a synthetic enemy. Her eyes darted around the facility, and she only found one possible place to escape to: the mine.

Liara bolted up from her cot in a mad dash towards the mine. She turned her head to see the frightening looking shock troopers catching up with her, but they weren't shooting. _They want to capture me!_

She picked up her pace exponentially and ascended up the ramp that led into the mine. The trills of the eth troopers behind her were getting closer, and her heart started to race even faster. She finally made it into the tunnel that went deep underground, but the troopers were only a few meters behind her. Her fists glowed and she let out only a small wave to knock over the first few troopers. She bought herself some time to survive, and she finally made it into the dark mine.

Liara wheezed for a moment and thought about where to go next in the unfamiliar mine. She needed to get as far away as possible to elude capture, which meant as deep in the mine as possible. She took in a shaky breath and shut her eyes to calm herself down. She had no clue as to why the synthetics wanted her alive, or even why the synthetics were here at all.

She took one more breath and started to jog to the elevator. The mine already had her on edge and the sounds of the synthetic communications were coming down the tunnel once again. She quickly entered the elevator and selected the lowest option possible. The elevator started to descend, and she shut her eyes again to fight off the panic. _Why are they here for ME!?_

The elevator creaked its way downward, and she watched the ruins go by with fascination. The were oddly shaped crevices in the wall with tiled walls, and there appeared to be a larger cylindrical room in the back. She tried to cope with the terrible turn of events by trying to figure out the purpose of the ruins, but the fear of getting captured was too prominent for her to think clearly. She gulped and shut her eyes to start whispering a small prayer.

The elevator came to a sudden stop at the bottom most level, and Liara exited cautiously. There appeared to be a massive encampment inside showing evidence of the miners' inhabitance. She looked back in the other direction the ruins and tried to think of a way to hide. Her quick mind thought of common Prothean defense protocols in their structures, and barriers came to mind. Almost everything they built like this had barriers, if she could shield herself from the synthetics until Treeya came back with help, then she may have a chance at survival.

Liara opened her omni-tool and selected the video call feature. She quickly found Treeya's address and tried to make the call, but it refused to go through._ The synthetics must be jamming my omni-tool._

Liara quickly entered the ruin and frantically searched for a nearby computer. Her eyes landed on the small console in the very center of the room on the floor. She knelt down over it and started to type away on it. _Good thinking, Liara._

The console started to flash some kind of green emergency color, and she started to panic. "Wh- what could I have don-"

Liara's body was instantly thrown up in the air with her limbs spread apart in a bubble. The rest of the barriers in the facility shot up and ensured her safety.

Liara's heart rate skyrocketed as she realized she trapped herself. She tried to move her body in any way possible but nothing happened. "Oh no... this can't be happening," she said as she struggled against the barrier to no avail.

Liara searched her mind for any possible solutions to her problem, but all evidence told her that she was stuck. She flared her biotics for a moment, but she couldn't muster the strength to make them useful. "Goddess, this can't be happening."

"How could I have been so dense as to confuse third age technology with fourth?" she lamented aloud. Her mind started to cloud with the prospect of thirsting to death in a bubble, where no one would possibly ever find her. Treeya would likely turn around the moment she saw the synthetics who were already there for her.

She shut her eyes and tried to relax. _Hopefully someone will come..._

_One Hour Later_

Liara watched the elevator go up and down for the past hour, unloading search parties at all the levels. It was only a matter of time until they found her. If there was one silver lining to being trapped, it was that the synthetics couldn't possibly figure out how to get her out of there. However, it seemed that no one would be able to save her either.

The elevator finally stopped at the bottom level, and her heart froze.

Inside of it was a massive red synthetic unit surrounded by five smaller ones and a single Krogan. The large one had three red eyes and stood far above the other units. The Krogan exited the elevator to approach the suspended Asari scientist. The prime started to warble deeply to the other synthetic units before they split off in different directions.

The Krogan studied the doctor's predicament for a moment. "I'm not gonna dick around with this... listen here, baby face. Saren wants you alive, and I'm here to claim you! You're Doctor T'Soni, the daughter of Lady Benezia," he said while pointing his shotgun at the barrier.

_What does she want?_ Liara scowled at the Krogan warlord in front of her and his claim. "I'm not going anywhere, especially with you and those machines. If Matriarch Benezia wishes to speak with me, she may find me here," she said simply.

"She said you would be reluctant. Saren told us we are allowed to used deadly force if we have to," the Krogan responded menacingly.

Liara's heart dropped for a moment, and she decided to not speak with the Krogan any longer. She simply stared past him and waited for the rescue that likely wasn't coming.

The Krogan shook his head and lumbered towards the other synthetics, leaving the doctor alone, for now.

_Twelve Hours Later_

Liara pried her eyes open from a light slumber and instantly picked up on her weary state. Her body demanded hydration, and her muscles were aching terribly from the suspension. Her fingers were gradually falling asleep from the lack of circulation as well as the rest as her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that someone would come for her soon. _Why do I even bother? It's not like many people acknowledge my existence anyway... the only people that do are out to kill or capture me. Surely I will die here soon if I am not released._

The elevator came to the bottom floor once again with the same Krogan warlord. The Krogan was surrounded by a small entourage of troopers like before. The Krogan pushed one of the troopers out of the way and hulked towards the barrier. "Listen, you better get your blue ass outta there or we'll get it out by force!" the Krogan roared.

Liara kept her expression blank and opted not to speak to the aggressors any further.

"Fine! Be that way! I'll let you know now, I'm in charge of this thing, and once I get you outta there, we're going to have a lovely trip back to Saren's base!"

Liara didn't bother to understand the Krogan's implications and clung to the hope that someone would find her soon. _Please... Goddess... send someone... anyone..._

The Krogan started grumbling various obscenities to himself. He suddenly raised his shotgun point blank to the barrier and aimed it directly at Liara's head.

Liara's mouth fell agape as she stared down the barrel and prayed that the barrier would prevent the bullets from ripping through. She squeezed her eyes shut as she was about to figure out.

The Krogan hammered the trigger, unleashing a hail of deafening rounds at the barrier. Nothing happened.

Liara kept her eyes shut and almost felt like crying. _How did it come to this?_

_Six Hours Later_

Liara's tired eyelids retracted slowly when her ears picked up the rattle of gunfire from above. Her body was now beginning to shut down, and she could feel its effects. She had been malnourished for nearly a whole day without any kind of hydration or food. She shut her eyes at the sound and told herself she was delusional. Death was starting to creep up on her, and she was getting close to welcoming it.

Another series of shots rang out from above, and her eyes flew open once again. _Could... could someone have come for me? Goddess, if they are here to rescue me, please protect them..._


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note**_

UPDATED 11-24-13

-Improved dialogue.

_**End of Author's Note**_

_Therum Mines_

Shepard, Kaidan, and Garrus descended down the slow elevator after effortlessly slaughtering a good dozen of Geth troopers. The commander hoped that the doctor had found a way to survive the hellish environment, considering how long it took him to even find Therum. The chances of one Asari doctor surviving a Geth infested mine were close to none. However, they hadn't searched the mine completely, so they couldn't be resolute in their assumptions. _I hope she's okay, though..._

The elevator neared the last level and began to slow down slightly.

A Geth trooper guarding the door turned its head to the elevator to inspect the next load of passengers. It immediately warbled to itself and primed its weapon upon seeing the unfamiliar party. Before it could shoot, a bullet cleanly ripped through its ocular light, casting a mist of its white fluid onto the elevator's frame. It fell to its knees and collapsed face first on the ground.

Shepard raised his sidearm in the air and looked around cautiously.

Liara's delirious brain tried to compute what she just saw. She watched the elevator intently to see who could have possibly made such a shot or even think about rescuing her, if that was their intent. She cleared her throat and tried to moisten her mouth to speak. "Can you hear me out there! I'm trapped! I need help!" she said best she could but still too weak. She hoped the mysterious visitors were there for her rescue.

Shepard's keen ears instantly heard the sweet voice and a smile plastered across his face. Not only was he happy to know the doctor was alive, but with a voice like that...

The elevator doors creakily opened, and John stepped out into the barrier's view, spinning his pistol on his finger with a confident grin. His eyes landed on a beautiful Asari who was suspended inside of a bubble of some kind, and his smile grew. She had a set of purple lips and black facial markings similar to a human's eyebrows. His attention, however, was captured most by far were her slate blue eyes that gazed at him innocently. _She's got to be scared…I hope she'll trust us._

He licked his teeth and approached the barrier while holstering his pistol mid spin. He let a moment pass to make a tactical assessment of her condition as well as a gander at her curvy figure. "Well... hello there, lovely," he said after a moment as he continued to study the barrier. There appeared to be no way by it.

Liara's stomach dropped at the compliment and watched the confident human male hopefully. No one had ever called her that one before, and she was relieved to see a possible rescuer come to her. She was beginning to feel a sense of relief come over her, but she wasn't quite sure what his intentions were quite yet. She felt a foreign since of attraction to the human, but she assured herself that it was just the thirst speaking. His soft eyes had a strange comforting feeling to them, she was unsure if the handsome relief was a mirage or not. "Are... are you real? Oh, no... don't be stupid, Liara, you are hallucinating. Humans don't co-... Oh Goddess, and you're talking to yourself," she said before letting out a mad laugh. "Oh Goddess... I am going to die in here," she said while looking at the ceiling.

Shepard raised his brow at her strange behavior as he expected her to be a little... calmer. It was suddenly obvious she had been in her suspension for quite some time and deprived of her basic needs. He was glad he arrived when he did, or else she might have been a dead doctor. He studied her smooth blue face and saw signs of dehydration as well. Her purple lips were dried out, and her facial muscles were sagging because of the suspension. "Yeah, I'm real enough. I'm getting you out of here, just tell me what to do," he said confidently.

Lieutenant Alenko gazed at the commander scornfully for sweet talking her when she was clearly malnourished. However, they knew each other quite well already, and he knew Shepard didn't work without an ulterior motive. His words were likely to comfort her and make her feel cared for. _...Or he's just getting his sick kicks. He wreaks of misogyny sometimes... _

Liara furrowed her brow at the human's charming behavior. "You're elusive for a hallucination, they don't usually claim to be real," she said before giggling slightly. "Or do they?" she asked herself fancifully. "I guess I wouldn't know. I don't usually hallucinate," she said in an oddly playful manner.

Shepard quickly grew worried for her mental health, and he needed to free her before she got worse. Her crazed tone was slightly unsettling for having such a cute voice. He leaned closer to the barrier and looked directly into her sapphire eyes. "The name's Shepard... John Shepard. Special Tactics and Recon sent me to pick you up," he said reassuringly.

Liara felt unfamiliar butterflies in her stomach and was thoroughly convinced she was actually crazy. If she was going to die of thirst, she decided that there was no harm in playing the attractive illusion's game. "Oh? A spectre, huh? A handsome one, too. That's good, what else would I conjure up? Yes... a protective figure... to comfort me... when no one else has before, perfect. Very well... _Shepard_, I will play along," she said calmly.

John squirmed at her offbeat behavior but maintained his smile. _Except for your sanity..._

Liara's expression shifted to desperation as her mind recovered for a moment. "Please, if you are as real as you claim, then find a way to get me out," she said in a realistic voice.

_That's more like it._ Shepard nodded at her request and tried to think of the best course of action. He scratched his prickly chin in thought and looked back at her. She was staring at him dreamily, and it was rather strange to keep any eye contact. "All right, then how did a sweet girl like yourself end up in trap like this?"

"Ah, yes, the handsome Spectre wants me to trace my steps. See if I can figure out where I went wrong," Liara said slowly as she tried to recount how she ended up in the bubble. "I was... running away from the Geth. I was here on an excavation with my apprentice, who left many hours ago, but the Geth showed up right after. They chased me down here, and I hid in here to try to elude capture. I tried to activate the repulsion fields... but I made a mistake," she said shamefully. "I was trapped in here, and I need your help, please!" she implored while as she ran out of breath.

"All right, don't worry, we'll have you outta there in no time," he assured her before taking a few steps back to look at the barrier.

"Of course, what good is a hallucination if can't offer false hope? Listen, if you are real and not a hallucination, find some way past the barrier curtain, please. I am going to die in here," Liara said helplessly and was a little saddened to see the comforting figure leave.

Shepard gave her an assuring and charming smile to calm her down. "Don't worry, we'll get you to safety," he said warmly. "Trust me."

Liara watched the human and his squad walk away longingly. She felt an abnormal sense of comfort in his presence, but she still had her doubts about her mental condition. What type of cruel Goddess would send down an attractive apparition to comfort her when everyone else has threatened to kill her? It barely made any sense to her, but she hoped that there was even a sliver of a chance he was real. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him as he disappeared out of sight and anticipated his return. _I mustn't think like this. I am not being myself. I doubt that little episode was real, there's no way it could have been._

Liara shut her eyes and tried to sleep herself to death once again. Her mind was certain that Shepard was an illusion, it made no sense for him to be real. She took a deep breath and focused on her pain. Her stomach growled and her muscles ached, but what worried her the most was her dehydration. Even though she was delirious, she was sure she was going to die in a few hours.

A sudden rumble snapped her out of her miserable thoughts, but she didn't see anything in front of her. There was a heavy dust cloud billowing up from below the rocks, but she convinced herself that her eyes were failing. She hung her head low and longed for John's comforting voice to return, even if it was fake. Just to hear the slight vibrations of his soothing voice felt like life to her. If she was going to die, she at least wanted to pretend to have somebody that cared for her talk to her. Her acute hearing picked up the sound of footsteps behind her, and she felt a sense of relief.

"Now I'm hallucinating that the handsome Spectre and his friends are inside the tower, I must be getting worse... Earlier I even imagined I heard thunder," she said calmly with her back turned to the squad. "But I am glad you returned... I need someone to talk to in my final hours..."

Shepard shook his head at the Asari's reluctance to accept that he was real and approached her. Her head was turned as much as it could towards him as he got closer. He slightly raised his hand and stuck it through the bubble that she was suspended in. He wrapped his hand around her stiff palm to give her the sensation of touch. "See? I'm real, Liara. I'm here for you," he said quietly as he massaged one of her knuckles.

Liara's lips parted slightly at the gentle contact as a burst of warmth traveled up from her fingers and into her spine. His touch made her feel slightly alive again. "You're... real, aren't you? By the Goddess... the handso- human is real... I uh… I'm sorry... I thought you were a hallucination," she said ignobly as she realized she called him 'handsome' several times. She would never have said such a thing to a potential rescuer, no matter how much she liked him. Her cheeks quickly flushed a light shade of purple at the realization. She turned her head and looked towards the barrier to avoid eye contact. _How embarrassing..._

Shepard smiled at her sudden change of character that seemed natural, and let go. "Yes, you heard us blasting through with the mining laser. It was pretty spectacular, actually," he said confidently.

Liara kept her eyes on the barrier and was still thoroughly embarrassed of her earlier behavior. "Oh? You blasted through?" she asked quietly. Despite her humiliation, she was incredibly thankful for him saving her.

"Yep, sure did," Shepard said as he let his eyes wander her around her blue face.

Shepard flirted with Liara not just because he found her to be adorable, but because it hopefully took her mind off of her apparent misery. Today was a first and a big gamble, he had never bothered to entice an Asari. However, she seemed to accept the gesture quite well. He also saw something different in her already, but he could have been wrong. She didn't seem to act like most other Asari... she was calm and appeared to be innocent.

"I thought I was going mad. Please, get me out of here before more Geth show up," she begged to him helplessly.

"My pleasure, doc," he said before searching for any consoles nearby. "Got any idea for a way to get you out of here?" he asked as his eyes landed on the ancient computer attached to the wall.

Liara watched Shepard over her shoulder and searched her mind for an answer. Now she that felt somewhat secure and taken care of, she was able to think clearly. "Uhh... that computer should have a simple fail-safe option that would bring down this barrier," she said eagerly as her muscles begged to relax. Her heart pounded out of her chest as she waited for relief. "Commander... I still cannot believe all this. Why would the Geth come after me? Why does Benezia want to capture me?"

Shepard inspected the emerald options on the console and quickly found the right ones. "Well... seeing as you're a Prothean expert, and Saren is looking for the Conduit. He probably wants your help," he said calmly as he figured out the console.

"The Cond- what? But I don't kn- this isn't the time, I apologize," she said confusedly.

"All right, say... one, two, three, freedom," he said before pressing the button and the purple bubble disappeared.

Liara's muscles instantly loosened, and the weightless feeling around her disappeared. Her body fell from its suspension, and she landed on all fours. The sheer sensation of the relief caused her muscles to give out, and her mind passed out as well.

Shepard hurried over to her to check her condition and instantly grew worried. She needed food and water immediately, and the Mako was loaded with survival provisions that she could have. He powerfully slung her into a fireman's carry over his shoulders and drew his pistol. It was imperative he brought her to safety quickly.

A slight tremble came from the ground around them, and John knew he started a race against time.

"What the hell was that?" Garrus asked worriedly.

"I think we might have triggered an earthquake," Kaidan responded as they started making their way to the elevator.

"We did," Shepard said as the massive elevator started to move on Alenko's command. He held the Asari over his shoulders slightly tighter and hoped for the best. _Hang in there, Doctor... I'm getting you home..._

The elevator started to ascend upwards, and the rumbling began to increase in intensity. Shepard raised his finger to his ear. "Joker, get the Normandy to our position ASAP!"

"Aye, aye, Commander, we're heading to you now," Joker said over his earpiece.

The various levels of the ancient structure went by, and they finally made it to the top where a single Krogan battlemaster with two Geth troopers waited for them. He drew his shotgun with one hand at the small squad. "Surrender! Or don't... whatever, that would make it more fun," he grumbled at the commander.

Shepard silently cooked one of his Mark 14 grenades and thought of a way to kill time. "Nah, don't think so. But it's not like this building is falling apart," he said sardonically.

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the Krogan said as he lumbered to the edge of the elevator. "Thanks for getting those energy fields down for us. Hand the doctor over."

"I'm sorry, you can't have her. What's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine, as they say," John taunted smugly.

"Not an option," the Krogan replied while shaking his head. "Saren wants her. And Saren always gets what he wants. Kill them. Spare the doctor if you can. If you can't... she makes a good toy dead, anyway."

Shepard's smile widened and his teeth showed. "I don't think you're going to be violating anyone soon there, toad."

"Why's that?"

"Cause I'm about to blow my load all over your insides," John said before lobbing the disc grenade at the Krogan's face. It zinged through the air quickly and exploded inches in front of the Krogan's head.

Kaidan and Garrus immediately suppressed the two Geth troopers, and the Krogan fell lifelessly to the floor with only half a head.

The building started to shake even more and panic ensued. "Nice work, let's get the hell outta here!" he yelled before he started to run with Liara still on his back.

"Agreed!" Kaidan shouted closely behind his commander.

The squad started their sprint up the mine shaft with a violent rush of molten sulphur roaring up behind them.

"Double time, double time!" Shepard yelled one last time as he neared the top of the shaft. He leapt out of the shaft with the rest of his squad in close tow. Pieces of molten rock exploded out of the tunnel right over their heads just as they escaped.

"Spirits..." Garrus said quietly while trying to recover his breath.

Shepard took several deep breaths as he got down to the bottom of the ramp. She needed nourishment urgently, and he raised his finger to his ear to hail his Mako driver. "Wrex... get the Mako up here... the doc needs food and water immediately," he said pressingly.

"On it," Wrex's grumbling voice replied.

John knew that it couldn't have been comfortable for Liara to have two different rifles jabbing into her gut, and he brought her down into a cradle. He studied her delicate face, and he was unaware that his expression had softened greatly. It was worn and tired from the suspension, but he could easily imagine what she looked like when healthy: gorgeous. Liara also had an aura of innocence around her that attracted him like a moth to a flame. It was an attraction he had never thought about before. He had dated scores of different human women before, and he never seemed to truly like a single one of them, but somehow everything about the Asari in his arms was just great to him. He didn't know exactly why either as he continued to stare at her blue face with an affectionate twinkle in his eye. _What the hell am I even thinking? My job is to use her as an asset... it shouldn't be more than that. Maybe she'll want to stay… sure as hell hope so._

The rumble of the approaching Mako got closer, and Liara let out a sweet sigh but kept her eyes closed. She was in a place of care and in strong arms. She peered her eyes open and looked around curiously at her surroundings. She was no longer inside of the dark mine... in fact, there was much welcomed steam hitting her face. She gazed at the commander and thought she was in a dream. Her heart fluttered for a moment knowing where she was, and her lips curled slightly at their corners.

Shepard stood motionless as he watched her half conscious state intently. "We've got food and water for you. Do you have any personal belongings you need picked up?" he asked tenderly.

Liara blinked for a moment and gestured her head towards the crate on the far side of the complex.

Shepard quickly found her barely assembled camp and cringed. "Garrus, Kaidan, prepare that crate for exfil," he ordered his two squad mates.

John quickly returned to looking at Liara, who was now nestled in his armored chest and sound asleep with a faint smile. _Interesting..._

_Inside the Mako, Half an Hour Later_

Shepard and the squad sat inside of the cramped Mako as it traversed the harsh landscape of Therum. Wrex and Joker were having a difficult time finding a level place to for the Mako to properly enter the Normandy.

The sound of the Mako traversing the horrid landscape was intolerable to John. It squeaked and rattled with each rough surface it hit. It seemed to just groan on and on. The commander felt like hurling his head into the nearest bulkhead to stop the noise. Wrex was a skilled driver, nonetheless, and handled the vehicle skillfully. He was better than Shepard, at least. Regardless of who was driving, the Mako was always a rough ride.

If there was any solace he found in being a passenger for that ride, it was that Liara happened to be sleeping on his shoulder. As much as he liked the fact she decided to sleep on him, she needed to fulfill her basic needs.

Shepard had the emergency provisions pack on his lap, and he was only waiting for her to wake up. However, he was beginning to fear that she wouldn't wake from her sleep. She smacked her lips slightly, and it only made it harder for him to convince himself to wake her up. He eventually told himself it was for the better, and he gave his shoulder a nudge.

Liara pried her tired eyes open and blinked a few times. The aches and pains her body suddenly came to life, demanding to be alleviated. She looked at her surroundings for a moment to find that she was in a vehicle of some sort, and her face was resting on the man that rescued her. Her eyes darted into Shepard's and back down into her lap. There was a lot to take in all at once.

"Hey... it's okay, you're safe with us," he said quietly while cracking open the box of provisions to give her some much needed water.

Liara nodded tiredly and crossed her arms in a shiver while watching his hands. She longed for the canister of water he extracted and hoped it was for her.

Shepard offered her the tall cylindrical container with a smile. "Drink... you need it," he said simply.

Liara quickly took the bottle without hesitation and started downing it without hesitation. She shut her eyes as she tilted the metallic bottle into her mouth. The torrent of welcomed water made its way down her esophagus, reviving her dehydrated body. She suddenly felt much better but continued to drink the relief.

Shepard quickly prepared a second bottle as it was clear she was going to get through the first. He was much at ease knowing she was receiving the nourishment she so badly needed. He stuck the bottle out towards her as she finished, and it was quickly taken from his hand to his amusement. There was something strangely rewarding about nurturing her.

Liara removed the second bottle from her lips and relaxed. She let out a sigh of relief and shut her eyes to think about how her day went wrong. She was supposed to be doing her favorite thing in the galaxy today: excavating Prothean ruins. Somehow, Saren decided to attack her or capture her, for reasons she couldn't even begin to explain. She ended up stuck in a trap that she could have easily avoided and was doomed to certain death. Out of nowhere came a human that was on a mission just to rescue her. _Did I die or am I still in that bubble dreaming?_

Her body felt as real as ever though, so none of that could be true. Her mind started to linger on the man that rescued her from certain death. She didn't know what to think from it besides that she... had an instant crush on him. It felt so unnatural for her, considering she had never had such a feeling before. She was sure it was just her malnourishment speaking once again, but he seemed to go out of his way to care for her so much.

"Liara?" John asked for the third time. "You okay? I have some food for you... it's not the best, but I'm sure you need it."

Liara opened her eyes and saw a long packaged bar in front of her. Her eyes landed on his for only a quick moment, and she was sure of her crush. Her cheeks blushed a curious shade of blue, and she immediately let her eyes move anywhere else but him. "Oh... I... thank you, Shepard," she said while taking the bar from him.

Liara ripped the wrapper off of the bar and didn't bother to study it before taking a bite of it. It was tasteless and tough to chew through, but it was no different then the bars that were in her possession. She continued to eat the bar quickly, and another one ended up in her lap thanks to Shepard. She kept one of her hands in her lap as she ate the oddly filling food.

Shepard cleared his throat and narrowed his at Garrus, who was managing the weapons station. "Vakarian... any hostiles?"

"That's a big negative," Garrus said as he eyed the console viciously.

"Good... keep your head on a swivel. Never know where there might be more," Shepard said cautiously.

Wrex and Joker were exchanging small quips of information to each other as they made the final arrangements for their alignment. He finally found stable ground for the Mako to safely board the Normandy. He grumbled something as he started to climb the IFV up the Normandy's ramp slowly and skillfully. The Mako finally made it up, and he applied the parking brake.

The rest of the squad started to pile out of the Mako's side door, only leaving Liara and Shepard inside.

The commander gently squeezed her wrist to get her attention. "Hey, we usually debrief as a team after our missions. Do you want to us join, Doctor?"

Liara's heart started to pound out of her chest as she looked into his soft brown eyes. She pried her eyes away from his reluctantly and looked out the side door. "I... I would be happy to join your briefing."

**_Author's Note**_

Hope you readers enjoyed. I apologize for how rudimentary my writing is here, this was the first chapter I had written. I do promise I improve much more in only a few chapters.

**_End of Author's Note**_


	3. Chapter 2

UPDATED 11-19-13

_Normandy Hangar_

Shepard quickly assisted the doctor up once they got out of the Mako and started to walk towards the elevator sluggishly. Even with his arm slung around her for support, she still wavered wildly, and he suspected that she wasn't up for a debriefing on an unknown ship with an unknown crew. It was evident her muscles were too tired to keep herself upright, and it was probably best she lie down for a bit. She would also need a short exam from Doctor Chakwas before he spoke to her about why he came to rescue her. As much as he didn't want to accept it, no matter how lovely she was, if she couldn't fight or provide him information, then the Normandy had no use for her.

There was also something strangely attractive about the doctor, but he didn't understand it, and she didn't seem to notice it either. He never found himself interested in anyone outside of the human race, but the doctor had something different to her... she had the beauty of the Asari people, yet she wasn't very open about it. She seemed to be very reserved as well as she hardly said a word the entire trip there.

Liara's head was looking around the unfamiliar hangar of the ship timidly. She was thoroughly confused by the strange turn of events and was close to convinced that she was still dying in a bubble. Yet having Shepard's cozy arm around her shoulders made her feel alive again. Her eyes landed on a female crew member who left the elevator. She quickly looked the other way when she noticed the suspicious glare coming from the female. _She doesn't think I am with Benezia, does she?_

She took a deep breath and found herself looking downward to avoid receiving another unpleasant look from someone else. She did find comfort being in the commander's arms and was ashamed to acknowledge that her foolish crush was still thriving. Her heart beat ever so quickly as she continued to think about him while in his arms. The strange looks some of the crew gave her, paired with her fatigue and her silly new crush, caused her to feel slightly light headed. She didn't know what to think of all of her new feelings, but sleep was required to organize them. She accidentally wavered to the side and almost fell out of his grasp.

"All right... I think I'm going to take you to the med bay," he said as he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "We've got ourselves a doctor who can check on your condition."

Liara looked over at him and caught his soft gaze. Her tongue suddenly felt like it weighed a ton, and she wasn't able to speak. "I- I'll be fine... I'll be fine," she stammered out as they hobbled into the elevator.

"Liara... you're not fine. You were just suspended in a bubble for God knows how long, you need rest," he implored gently and gave her shoulder another squeeze.

Liara's cheeks flushed a light shade of purple, and she knew he was right. "T-Thank you..." she said just above a whisper. "I..."

Shepard was waiting for her to continue as the elevator came to a stop, but she didn't. "You were gonna say something?"

Liara shook her head for a moment as her mouth tried its best to create the words. "I... can talk to you if I can lie down somewhere," she finally said.

"Oh? You sure?"

Liara nodded her head gently as they started to walk down the narrow hall of the crew deck to the med bay. She quickly noticed the advanced design of the ship and was impressed with wherever she was. Several of the human crew members, who were playing cards at the table, turned their heads to her skeptically. She quickly looked towards the med bay doors where she would hopefully find a safe place to hide her face. She was terribly frightened by the fact that her crush was in close contact with her, and the rest of the crew was giving her heated looks. She felt a sense of insecurity being surrounded by strangers who didn't seem to like her and a man that she was pointlessly attracted with. She hoped the 'med bay' was a little more secluded and maybe had friendlier faces.

Her eyes moved with John's hand as it pressed the button to the next room. The cabin featured a row of exam beds as well as a fully serviced medical station, and she assumed they were in the med bay. There was only one human woman on the far end, and she was relieved there was nobody else to stare at her.

"Doctor Chakwas?" Shepard asked as they moved closer to one of the beds.

The doctor turned around quickly noticed the new Asari guest. "Yes, Commander? Does she need an exam?" she asked as she already prepared to do so.

"Yes, the poor Doctor T'Soni was trapped without food or water for... oh, I don't know... maybe a day. Would you mind giving her a check up while I get this armor off and get a cup of joe?" he asked as he guided her towards the nearest bed.

_What is a 'cup of joe?'_ Liara hardly understood human culture, and she was rather upset that she never looked into it before. She eyed the rugged bed longingly as they got closer, and she was ready to collapse onto it. Their short walk made her muscles even more tired than before.

"Of course, Commander," she said as she readied her medical equipment on the other side of the room.

Shepard helped her into the bed, and she was on it no time. He smiled faintly as helped her worn legs onto the bed and stood up. "Okay... I'm going to be right back. Doctor Chakwas will help you right away. She is super friendly and super good at what she does. Okay?" he asked while gazing into her sapphire blue eyes.

She shook her head gently and refused to look into his soft gaze. She found herself becoming thirsty once again, but she wasn't going to complain about it. In some ways, she didn't want him to leave her. He was the only person who seemed to like her on the entire vessel, and being left alone was something she resented. *Please come back soon...*

"Okay..." he said as he started to walk out. "I'll be back, Doctors," he said to both of them and exited the room.

Liara watched the door close and wilted a little on the inside. She gulped as she watched Chakwas prepare a small tray of exam equipment. _I hope she knows basic Asari physiology... not that it looks too much different than a human's._

"May I have your full name, Doctor?" Chakwas asked jovially. Her back was facing the Asari as she prepared the Normandy's medical logs on a datapad.

Liara cleared her dry throat and licked her lips to moisten them again. "Doctor Liara T'Soni," she croaked weakly.

"Wonderful," Chakwas commented as she typed in the name on the datapad. She could tell the Normandy's new guest was very reserved, and it was essential she provided a friendly atmosphere to make her feel welcome. "And how did we get here?" she asked with a slight chuckle.

Liara was dreadfully embarrassed for allowing herself to get trapped in something that could have easily been avoided. "I... was trapped in a Prothean emergency barrier for almost a whole day," she said hesitantly. She was grateful that the human doctor came across as friendly.

"That's not something I see everyday," Chakwas said as she typed in a quick summary of her situation on the datapad. She set down the datapad and made her way over to her patient with a small tray in hand. "And when was the last time you had something to eat?" she asked with an affable smile.

"Just a few minutes ago," she said barely loud enough to be heard. She tried her best to keep her neck up, but her muscles were demanding rest. The massive light above her head was rather hard on the eyes as the med bay was exceptionally dark.

"It's okay, Doctor T'Soni... relax if you want," she assured the Asari as she dimmed the light over her patient's head. "Lean your head back... I just need to see your arm. Is it okay if I remove your glove?"

Liara nodded slowly as she rested her weary head on the stiff pillow behind her. She felt her glove slip off her hand, exposing her blue hand and white fingernails to the cold air of the ship. She hissed quietly when Chakwas' warm hand hit her cold skin and rolled her sleeve up to begin her assessment. She couldn't help but wish she could have Shepard in her presence for just a little while longer. He gave her a comfort she had never felt before, and she could use that feeling about now.

The doctor chuckled slightly as she inspected Liara's wrist her fingers. "My... I wish my hands were as soft as yours," she said good-naturedly. She gently applied a cuff around her wrist that would analyze her condition. The device started to gather its readings, and Chakwas noticed that Liara was more than shy. She looked up from her patient's arm and saw that the other doctor's head was still facing the door. _How odd..._

_Normandy Mess Hall, Five Minutes Later_

Shepard held his SR1 mug under the coffee dispenser and gave it a slight nudge to begin filling it. His comfy crewman's uniform was back on, and he was looking forward to seeing Liara again. He sighed happily as he watched the scorching coffee pour into his mug. For a mission that started at four o'clock Alliance time, it knocked the wind out of him pretty quickly. He was pleased by the results, but he wished he could have found the doctor much earlier. He wanted to get to know her a bit, but he had to remember that she may not be on the Normandy very long. The machine finished its pour, and he raised the steaming mug from the dispenser.

"Commander?" Ashley's voice asked from behind him.

John turned his head to the familiar voice and gave a friendly smile. "Oh, hey, Ash. How are you? Need something?" he asked in a genial tone. He reached for the glass next to him on the counter and started to fill it with water from the adjacent dispenser.

Ashley crossed her arms and stayed silent for a moment. "Really? The Asari? The daughter of Matriarch Benezia?" she asked astoundingly.

The commander released the glass of water and picked up his mug again. He furrowed his brow as he took a sip of his black coffee and shook his head. _Far too hot still... I go through this every time I pour a cup, too._

"What about her?" he asked as he leaned against the counter casually with the mug in one hand.

"How do we know she isn't with Matriarch Benezia?" she asked irritably.

Shepard chuckled as he looked towards the med bay to avoid looking at the chief. "That's a little presumptuous, don't you think?"

"No, not really, Commander. Who knows where her allegiances lie?" she asked sternly.

"Chief... relax," he said as he remembered why he stopped trying to pursue her. "It's under my control. She's not going to be hurting anybody. She might not even be here for long, so please let me handle this. Okay?"

Ashley shook her head slowly. "Aye, aye, sir."

"Good, don't bring it up again," he said quickly. "Now, is there anything else you needed to discuss with me?"

"No, sir," she said after a long moment.

"Good... by the way, spread the word that we are delaying the debrief until next hour. I've got to make sure the doctor is okay."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"All righty, then... see you around," he said as if giving her a cue to leave.

The chief studied Shepard's face for a moment before about facing and making her way out of the mess hall.

Shepard squinted at the chief as she walked away and was rather curious why she would come to such a conclusion when she hadn't even spoken with Liara yet. It could be jealousy or it could be her overprotective disposition. Either way, he didn't like him.

John took a minute to come up with a way to get to know Liara. She already came across as very timid, which meant he would have to be gentle with her. Sadly, he didn't know enough about the Asari to be aware of any differences in their culture when it came to dating. _So I might as well just give it a try..._

He raised his mug to his mouth again but retracted it as the steam hit his face. "Still too hot..." he mumbled to himself.

Shepard took both cups in his hand and started the walk towards the med bay. The water was for Liara as he knew that two canisters of water probably weren't enough to satisfy her needs.

Liara watched Chakwas remove the cuff from her hand nervously as she hoped she was in a healthy condition.

The doctor read the cuff's tiny display and smiled. "It appears that you are healthy but you ar-"

The med bay's door sliced open and revealed a smiling commander holding two cups with both hands.

Liara was relieved to finally see him. He was even holding a glass of water that made her lick her lips.

"Dehydrated..." Chakwas finished and quickly noticed the glass of water. "I don't suppose you are drinking coffee and water, are you?"

Shepard chuckled lightly as he continued to walk towards the bed. "Nope. The water is for the lovely doctor. But which one?" he asked in a flattering tone.

Doctor Chakwas laughed as she began writing on the datapad. "You know how to flatter a woman, Commander. Common sense tells me that it would be the one lying on her back due to exhaustion and the condition I just mentioned," she said as she continued to write.

The very edge of Liara's lip curled into a faint smile as she watched the commander roll a seat over to her. He was personable... he was friendly... he was caring... and she couldn't deny the draw she felt to him. She was deathly afraid of even looking him in the eyes, but she was at ease with having him around.

"That it is, Doctor," he said calmly and didn't let his eyes leave Liara. He sat down in the seat he rolled up next to her bed and offered the clear glass to the Asari. "Water?"

"Yes, please," she said as she accepted the glass and shut her eyes for another refreshing drink.

Doctor Chakwas only moved her eyes to watch Liara and noticed she wasn't nearly as tense as before when with Shepard. She continued her work and mentally took a small note in the shift Liara's in behavior.

Liara kept her eyes shut and tilted her head back after the soothing drink. She let out an exhale as she tried to organize her muddled thoughts. Getting trapped, almost dying, realizing her mother was after her, and then getting rescued by some handsome human constituted the busiest day in her life in several decades. "Thank you, Commander," she said tiredly before lifting her head from the pillow.

"It's just water, you needed it," he said playfully.

"No, not just the water. I am forever grateful to you," she said as she set the cup aside on the tray next to her. "You saved my life... not just from the trap I set off and the explosion, but the Geth, too."

Shepard relaxed in his seat and kept his smile. "Well, I'm sorry I couldn't have gotten to you sooner. We tried our best to get to you. So I apologize for putting you through all of this. By the way," he said before taking a sip of his coffee and nodding his head, "we never formally introduced ourselves." He offered his rugged hand. "I'm Lieutenant Commander John Allen Shepard. I am the the captain of this Systems Alliance Navy ship, the SSV Normandy. Welcome aboard," he said professionally.

Liara turned her head to him and gazed into his soft brown eyes for a moment. She noticed his extended hand and gently placed hers in his for a light shake. She shook it gently and quickly brought her hand back to her side. "Hello, Commander... I... I'm Doctor Liara T'Soni," she said sheepishly.

Shepard smiled at her warmly and took another sip of his coffee. "Pleased to meet you then. I think I owe you an explanation as to why I came and found you. My crew and I are searching for any information on your mother Matriarch Benezia, who is working with a rogue spectre named Saren Arterius. He is in search of something called... the Conduit. We tried to find you to see if you can help us out," he said hopefully. Dropping her off on the Citadel in a few days would be rather depressing.

Liara looked down the length of her body as soon as she heard Benezia's name. "I... apologize... I do not know anything about Benezia and Saren, only that she joined him many years ago for reasons that are beyond me," she said sadly. She thought about where her mother went off to everyday for over a decade. The realization hit her that it was rude to talk to the commander while she was on her back. She scooted herself upright and brought her knees up to rest her chin on. "As for the Conduit... I know only that is how it is somehow connected with the extinction of the Protheans. That is my real area of expertise. I have spent the past fifty years trying to figure out what happened to them," she said intelligently. She adored talking about Protheans more than anything.

Shepard quickly picked up on the renewed life in her lustrous eyes as well as the confidence in her tone. It suddenly hit him that she said fifty years. He studied her curvy body for a moment but quickly brought his eyes back to hers. "You said fifty years?"

Liara nodded gently and wondered where his eyes went just a few moments ago. _Perhaps he was making sure I was completely on the bed..._

"How old did you say you were again?" he asked with an allured smile.

Doctor Chakwas rolled her eyes and quietly made her way to the other side of the room to avoid hearing anymore.

"I hate to admit it, but I am only one-hundred and six," Liara said as she glanced to the side in shame.

"You really stole my breath away," Shepard crooned before taking a swig of his black coffee.

Liara's heart fluttered for a moment, and she refused to look at his chiseled jaw line any longer. Her tongue once again felt like it weighed six tons and tried to find the proper words to reply with. "I- uh... I- among the Asari I am barely considered more than a child," she said quietly. "And that is why my research has not received the attention it deserves. Because of my youth, other Asari scholars tend to dismiss my theories on what happened to the Protheans."

Shepard dragged his finger in circles around his SR1 mug in thought. He grinned slightly as he knew she would love to know more about the visions he had. "What if I said I had my own theory as to what happened to the Protheans?" he asked with a witless grin.

Liara was once again forced to look at him, only with a skeptical brow raise. She couldn't tell if he was joking in a way humans did, or if he actually had something constructive to say. "With all due respect Commander, I have heard every theory out there. The problem is finding enough evidence to support them. The Protheans left remarkably little behind. It is like someone didn't want the mystery solved. Someone came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part..." she said before taking a deep breath as her sharp mind recollected her theory. She hardly felt tired anymore as she thought about her career's findings. "According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish. This cycle began long before them."

The commander squinted as he took another warm sip of his mug. "But you said there wasn't any evidence..."

This wasn't the first time she had to defend her theory, and her explanation was well rehearsed at this point. She couldn't even begin to count how many times she had been doubted. "I've been working on this for fifty years, Commander. I have gathered every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. Patterns that hint at the truth," she said and started to slow down. She was losing her wits about him again and forced herself to look at the other side of the med bay. "It is difficult to explain to someone else. I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case. It is more of a feeling derived from a half-century worth of research. But I know I am right, and I'll eventually be able to prove it. This cycle has repeated itself many times over..."

Shepard shifted his weight from side to side in the chair, causing it to move gently as he thought. He knew hardly anything about her field of studies, and he knew he probably sounded like an idiot. "Okay... so if the Protheans weren't the first... who was?"

Liara's cheeks were gradually feeling warmer, and she was becoming even more nervous the more she spoke with him. In some ways, she questioned herself why she was so reluctant to accepting another person's attraction but quickly concluded it was difficult because she liked him back. She also hated not knowing the answer to a question where she was supposed to know. "I… I don't know, there is barely any evidence on the Protheans. Even less on those who came before them. But I know I am right. The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Society climbs its way up and then suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruins survive. The Protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spanned the entire galaxy. Yet even they climbed to the top on the remains of those who came before them," she said as she entered some kind of trance while describing the glorious Protheans. "Their greatest achievements - the mass relays and the Citadel - are based on the technology of those who came before them. And then, like all the other civilizations before throughout galactic history, the Protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my entire life to figuring out why," she said exhaustively and feared that she rambled for far too long. Silence pervaded the room as she watched John spin in his chair slightly. "Oh no... I... I must have said too much or something wrong, haven't I?" she asked worriedly.

Shepard stopped his gentle swaying and smiled at her warmly once again. "No way, I like to talking to you, you fascinate me," he said quietly.

The very corner of Liara's lips curled into an elated smile. It was true that many people quickly dismissed her, or she said far too much all at once. She never had someone tell her they liked hearing her talk. "Oh... well, thank you..."

"You're welcome, and by the way, I think I can tell you what happened to them," he said as he set his mug aside and brushed his upper lip with his finger.

Liara's heart started to race as she eagerly waited to hear what he had to say.

"They were wiped out by an ancient race of death machines called Reapers," he said simply.

Liara furrowed her brow at his assertion. In all of her years studying the Protheans and their extinction, nothing like that had ever come to mind. It sounded rather far-fetched to her, but she was open to answers of all kinds to get to the bottom of the mystery. "The- the Reapers? But I have never heard this - how do you know? What evidence do you have?" she quickly asked with a renewed fire in her eyes.

Shepard immediately saw the excitement in her luminous eyes and smiled. "During my last mission... there was this Prothean beacon on Eden Prime. Well, it 'accepted' me and burned this vision into my brain. The problem is... I have no way of knowing what its about. It is difficult to even explain."

"You found one!?" she almost shouted and lurched at his face in excitement. Her sharp mind tried to piece together what she had been told.

A part of herself said it was unfair that she spent half a decade searching for evidence and then John had all the answers fall right into his lap. Another part said she was blessed to have a witness of one of the beacons, but studying him would be a challenge because of her new attraction to him. "Visions... of... of course, the beacons were designed to transfer directly into the mind of the user. To find one that still works is extremely rare," she said as she tried to lean closer to him. "No wonder the Geth attacked Eden Prime. The chance to acquire a working beacon - even a badly damaged one - is worth almost any risk." She realized that she was trying to close in on the commander and grew nervous. "But the beacon would have been badly fragmented, it was built for Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would be badly damaged. Unclear. I am… amazed. A lesser mind would've been utterly destroyed in the process - to be able to go through what you did, completely unscathed, is truly remarkable. You must be _very_ strong willed, Commander," she accidentally said in an overly flirtatious manner.

Shepard raised his brow at Liara's inflection. He studied her half-lidded eyes and slightly puckered lips with a restrained smile. _I think she likes me..._

Liara's gleaming eyes shook slightly as she watched him for a moment. Her mind spilled foreign yet blissful emotions; she felt light-headed as she fell into his dreamy gaze. _Why is he so quiet? Oh Goddess, what have I done!?_

She started to feel dizzy the longer she watched his soft brown eyes and felt increasingly weak.

"You... all right there, Doc?" he asked in a concerned tone. Her head started to waver slightly, and she placed her bare blue hand on her forehead.

"Oh... oh my. I feel... I... need some rest," she said just above a whisper. She started to waver even more, and she shut her eyes the more she thought about him. A strong pair of hands instantly landed on her shoulders to gently guide her downwards. Her mind quickly slipped away, and she fell asleep.

Shepard watched Liara instantly fall asleep with an amused smile and let go of her shoulders. He noticed something on her that was very particular yet adorable. There was one small loose eyelash that found its way onto her puffy blue cheek. Of all the qualities Liara had to her physique, why did this seem to catch his attention?

"Hey... Doctor Chakwas," he said in a hushed voice and pointed down at the sleeping Asari.

The doctor turned her head around from the far side of the room and nodded.

Shepard quietly walked over to the Normandy's doctor and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh... yes, Commander?"

"Are we using the guest cabin for anything?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Of course not..." she lied and quickly knew where he was going. That cabin was her personal quarters, but she was willing to sacrifice it for their new guest. "Would you like for me to arrange Doctor T'Soni in there for the time being?"

"That would be wonderful. Just new sheets and an extra pillow maybe. I'll come by later to drop her off in there once you are all done, if that's okay?"

"That's fine. I'll get right on it."

"Thanks, Doctor. I owe you one," he said happily.

"I'm rather fond of Serrice Ice Brandy. If you'd be so generous as to perhaps purchase some when you are on the Citadel next time, I'd be very grateful," she said with a slight chuckle.

"You got it..." he said before turning around to make his way out of the med bay. He watched Liara as he went by, and he felt the weirdest sense of attachment to her. It certainly wasn't a normal feeling, but he barely knew her. However, he had to make the decision within the next day or two to keep her around. She knew about as much as the Conduit as he did, but she was also a Prothean expert, which could come in handy. He didn't know if she was combat capable, but there didn't appear to be any damage to the mine when he first entered, so he was doubtful. He could not deny the fact that he liked her, and he wouldn't mind having her around for moral support. _What to do... what to do..._

_**Author's Note**_

Please leave a review! I love to hear feedback!

**_End of Author's Note**_


	4. Chapter 3

_Shepard gently cupped his hands under her jaw and stared into her eyes dreamily. She inhaled the sweet air around them and looked at the stars above. Her mind was someplace else, and she shut her eyes to let the inevitable happen. Everything was right. She took a shaky breath as she leaned in closer, and her lips parted slightly to meet his._

Liara's eyes snapped open, and she quickly noticed her heart was beating faster than it did even on Therum. She tried to regulate her breathing and accepted that it was nothing more than a quixotic fantasy that likely wouldn't come true. _There is so much more I need to be worried about... like my mother and the Conduit._

Her breaths became slower, and she realized she was no longer in the med bay. Instead, she was in rather comfortable bed with sheets and blankets cozily wrapped around her. Her eyes wandered up at the ceiling, and it was clear she was no longer in the same room as before. She was sure of the one person who went out of his way for her... _Shepard..._

She rolled to her side and berated herself on the inside for having such feelings for a man she barely knew. It was so confusing, and it made her feel weak. She was shy and reserved. He was pleasant and outgoing. Where did the two personalities meet? Why did she even like him in the first place? Why was she starting to feel attached to a man she barely knew? Why wasn't she more concerned about the information he had told her? How did she even end up where she was? Why was any of this even happening? Everything felt so wrong, yet it felt so right at the same time. _How could my life have changed this much in just one day?_

Liara found the light control next to her bed and dimmed the lights. She squeezed her eyes shut to sleep off the thoughts, and hopefully she would return to the fanciful dream for answers. Her body was still incredibly achy from her past experience, and she blinked her eyelids to sleep once more with a puzzled mind.

_Liara's New Quarters, Five Hours Later_

Kaidan quietly unloaded the last of the contents from Liara's crate into her new room. Shepard assigned him after the debriefing with the task of unloading her crate from the Mako. It was a very laborious task, but he had the help of his biotics in the process. To add to the stress of the harmless job, he had to carry the individual plastic boxes from the crate in the hangar as it wouldn't fit inside of her room. He also had to remain extra quiet in order not to wake Liara up from her peaceful slumber.

The lieutenant took a moment after gently setting down a box on top of another to take a look around her new cabin. The dimmed lights allowed him to get a good idea of what the room looked like, and he was surprised that the Normandy had another private cabin besides the commander's. Her room was exceptionally well stocked compared to the rest of the ship, and it was quite spacious, too. There was a long desk with a computer and a lamp near the foot of her bed along with two chairs. She even had a double-sized mattress with new sheets. He had to sleep in one of the sleeping pods every night, but at least they guaranteed a good night's rest. However, the thing he envied the most was the fact that she had her own bathroom and closet. It appeared to be cramped from where he was, but privacy was a luxury in the Alliance. _There is only one person I know who would give her this kind of service on day one..._

Kaidan shook his head and turned around to get the very last box. He suddenly slammed into the stack of boxes, sending three of them crashing to the floor. His panicking mind instantly reacted, and he caught two of them. His heart froze as he watched the one box he couldn't catch hurl towards the metal floor. The box instantly crashed against the floor and generated a dreadfully loud bang.

The lieutenant stood motionless as he watched the doctor rustle around in her sheets for a moment and cringed. He hoped that she would just fall back asleep.

Liara's mind tried to process the loud noise as part of her dream, but it found no place for it inside of it. Her weary eyes slid open once again, and she hoped to that noise came from Shepard. Her heart started to pound out of her chest as her vision cleared and revealed the silhouette of a human male looming over something. An unbearable silence was filling the air, and she started to panic. She had no idea what to say or how to address the man. She let her mind take control of the situation, and she slowly reached for the light control next to the bed.

Liara flicked the light on and instantly realized that the man wasn't Shepard. Her heart dropped and her eyes widened. She let out a small yelp as she threw the covers over her breasts, thinking that she was in her undergarments. _Who is he and why is he in here!?_

"Sorry, Doctor!" Kaidan said as he started picking up the boxes from the floor with shaking hands. "I was just dropping off your things. Please forgive me," he implored as he continued to fumble about on the floor.

Liara took a deep breath and realized she was still in her green field coat. She recognized the man from their rescue operation from several hours ago. She also recognized the contents of the open boxes next to her bed. "Oh... I... thank you," she said with a bit of strain in her voice. "Um, might I ask your name?"

Kaidan stood up and restacked one of the boxes. He scratched the back of his head, and his face was flushed a vibrant red. "I'm Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko... I, uh, am in charge of the Marine security team here on the Normandy."

"Oh, well... uh, pleased to meet you, Lieutenant," she said awkwardly while she rubbed her tired eyes.

"Likewise, Doctor. I apologize for the intrusion, I'll let you get back to sleep," he said as he stacked the last box.

Liara removed the blanket off of her chest and let out a heavy yawn. She was still extremely tired, but she was happy to see that her personal belongings were all there. She planned to wake up much later, but she wanted to throw on a fresh new field coat. She was ready to see the human leave, but a small voice in the back of her head told her to investigate the commander a bit more. Of course his chiseled jawline, prominent cheek bones, and soft brown eyes put her in a daze, but it was imperative she learned a little more about him before she continued to pursue her feelings. He even smelled handsome. She nearly passed out when she looked at his sculpted body through his crewman's uniform. He was well-mannered, too, and he put her needs above his at every turn so far. To her, the feeling was very foreign to fall head over heels for someone she met only hours ago. _This isn't good... not good at all. I barely know him..._

"Oh, no, Kaidan, please stay. I am plenty rested," she lied as she brought herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were still heavy, but her muscles felt much better than before. She decided to openly let her mind linger on Shepard, and she began to twist the clothing on her wrist out of nervousness. "In fact... I would like to know more about humans," she remarked hesitantly.

Kaidan turned to face Liara completely with a raised brow. Her inflection told him that she was interested in something beyond humans, but she seemed innocent enough. He nodded his head and leaned carefully against the stack of boxes so that none of them would fall over again. "All right, Doc. What do you want to know?"

Liara felt her heart drop when she realized that she didn't have many questions ready. She was positive that she could have most, if not all, of her questions answered on the extranet, and asking someone in person wasn't what she was used to. She thought about the similarities between herself and humans. "Does this vessel have any human biotics?" she asked quizzically.

"You're looking at one... well an L2 biotic," he said with a slight chuckle. "Wait a minute, if your people don't need implants to use biotics, how come Asari don't use biotics more often?"

"While the Asari have natural biotic abilities, not all have the desire to learn to use their abilities effectively," she said while remembering her apprentice.

"Sounds like a waste to me. To have that ability without implants..." Kaidan stopped and realized he was making a bad first impression. "But to answer your question, yes. I am a biotic. It's not easy being an L2, I have to admit."

Liara nodded her head sympathetically. "I can imagine... having an outdated implant..."

Kaidan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?" he asked defensively.

Liara's cheeks turned a dark shade of purple, and her eyes widened. "Oh! I- I apologize! I didn't mean for it to come out- I am so sorry, Lieutenant! Please forgive me!" Her voice cracked.

Kaidan easily saw that Liara was very reserved, and he knew she didn't mean to offend him. "Hey, it's okay. It is kind of true, though..."

Liara was still terribly worried about her conversation mistake. "I am sorry... I have never conversed with your species very much before this. I have no experience with humans, so I hope you may please understand," she said timidly.

Kaidan chuckled for a moment, and he found Liara to be a joy to talk to, even if she was awkward. "It's fine, Liara. I'm sure you will get plenty of experience with the rest of the crew," he assured her. The commander did mention during the debriefing he was unsure of what to do with her, but Kaidan had explicit orders to not tell her about what he planned for her. "So, do you have any other questions? I'm sure you do..."

Liara looked down into her hands as she tried to construct another question for him. Every time she thought of something, the commander's image invaded her head. Her thought process over the past few hours became clouded with his image, yet she knew very little about him and his species. There was one lingering question she had about humans that she was comfortable asking. They all had hair, yet the men choose to cut it short. Shepard maintained his in a rather precise manner, too. "Why do humans shave their hairs down?" Liara asked as she began twiddling her thumbs.

"Well, see, humans shave their faces because they like to look clean cut, you see? When a man takes care of himself, it looks attractive to others. So something like shaving neatly is a method of expressing that he is making an effort to impress someone. Well, that and the Alliance tells us to," Kaidan explained. "Humans like to believe it's the small things that count, I guess."

_Yes they do..._ Liara's heart fluttered for a moment, and she bit her lower lip as her mind trailed off. "What else... could you tell me about the commander?" she asked, unawarely using Shepard's name.

Kaidan blinked for a moment, and he could see she had a huge crush on Shepard. Liara came across as probably a very sweet girl with little experience in the world of dating, and she might be unpleasantly surprised to see it for what it really was. He was fine with her wanting to pursue Shepard on her own, but he wasn't going to contribute to it, especially if she wasn't going to stay on the Normandy for very long. He wasn't willing to see her fall in love with John and then get kicked out of his quarters two nights from now. "I can't say I really know much about him," he lied. "He never really tells anyone much about his past aside from being the Hero of Elysium. But he's pretty sociable himself..."

Liara nodded reluctantly and accepted that it was up to her to get acquainted with the commander. That would definitely prove to be a challenge, as she could barely look him in the eye without blushing, let alone confess her attraction to him. She took a deep breath and decided such thoughts were for another time. "Well, I suppose I should unpack my belongings," Liara said as she stood up.

"Okay... I'll see you around then. Glad to have you aboard, Doctor T'Soni," he said with amiable smile.

"Thank you," she said while trying to return the same smile futilely.

The lieutenant was gone, and she was on her own once again. She rubbed one of her aching scalp crests and thought about what to temporarily set up first. There was a small doubt in the back of her mind that said she may not be where she was for long. She wasn't able to give the commander the answers he was looking for, but perhaps she could tell him about her biotic abilities. If he found some use for her, then maybe she could stay aboard the Normandy. There was a good chance Shepard may find a breakthrough about the Protheans, and his vision was beyond intriguing to her. He also may find Benezia in the near future, and she felt obligated to accompany him if that was the case. The opportunity of a lifetime had been presented to her, and she intended to seize it.

_Normandy Mess Hall, The Same Time_

Kaidan stepped out of the med bay and sighed. He let his shoulders sag from carrying the Asari doctor's luggage around the ship, and he could feel the lactic acid building up in his muscles. Being sore was a sensation he hadn't felt for a long while, but today's events warranted such a feeling. He let his eyes close for a moment as a building headache started to creep up on him, too. Liara's personal belongings were not light by any means, and he guessed that she carried it around with her biotics. It had been a long day already, and a voice in the back of his head told him it was only going to get longer. The sound of approaching footsteps got closer, and he pried open his tired eyes. "Good evening, sir," Kaidan snapped to attention and delivered a crisp salute.

The commander raised his brow at the formalities. "What is this, the academy? I told you already, you don't have to be so formal around me, Kaidan," he assured the nervous lieutenant.

The lieutenant always found himself defaulting to formalities in the presence of a superior. It was either nerves or trusting the commander enough that sent Kaidan into rules and regulations mode. After all, it was proper military etiquette that he adhered to his whole career. They had established a good friendship early on, but John always had a mysterious personality. He could never tell what was on his mind behind that dorky grin of his. "Sorry, sir, it's just…" Kaidan tried to explain himself, but seeing the commander grin at him awkwardly didn't help his restless behavior.

"Kaidan... it's fine. We are friends, right? Just say 'hi' next time. I'm starving anyways. Let's get some chow." Shepard signaled him to follow as they walked to the Normandy's kitchen. "So, is the doctor still sleeping?" he asked curiously as he made it into the Normandy's tiny 'kitchen' to the left of the sleeping pods.

Kaidan caught up just in time and leaned on the other side of the counter casually. "Yeah..." he lied.

Shepard opened the fridge, and the lights inside illuminated his face. "Any opinion on the mission?" he asked as he started to rifle through the refrigerator's contents for something to eat for both of them.

"Doctor T'Soni or the Geth Colossus?" he asked with an attempt at humor.

The commander's efficiency in everyday activities was noteworthy as he carried himself in a productive manner even when trying to find a snack. "The cute one," he confirmed in a focused voice while still buried in the cold fridge.

Liara suddenly glued herself to the wall as soon as she came out of the med bay. Her heart began pounding and she felt butterflies in her stomach when she heard Shepard's voice say 'the cute one'. _Is he talking about me?_

She was sure none of them had noticed her presence, and she planned to keep it that way. Her original plan was to tell John about her biotics, but it had changed entirely after that last remark. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but she wanted to hear what John really thought about her.

Kaidan blinked for a moment. "So you mean the Doctor?"

"No, Kaidan... I meant the Colossus," he replied sardonically. "Yes, of course the Doc." _What the hell else would I be talking about?_

"Well..." Kaidan had to remember that he had to pretend he hadn't spoke with her just a minute ago. "She seems wholesome enough... I mean, I doubt she is working for her mother."

The commander lifted himself out of the fridge with a loaf of bread and some lunch meat. It wasn't a spectacular meal, but it would suffice. Life aboard naval vessels was never as glorious as the vids led one to believe. Moreover, John was surprised he didn't have any competition over Liara. "Oh come on, she's as cute as a button. You don't see that?" Shepard asked as he began to prepare his meal.

"I'm no expert on dating, Commander, but I don't think she's your type. I mean… you know… how you are?"

The commander stopped preparing his sandwich and looked at the Lieutenant curiously. "How 'I am', Lieutenant?" he asked quizzically.

"Come on, Commander... we both you know you just want her in your quarters by the end of the week," Kaidan retorted. The lieutenant folded his arms and kept his smile in attempt to challenge John.

The commander mocked him with the same exact look. He did sometimes have issues with women when his ego got in the way, but he was confident with Liara. "Not true, Lieutenant. You don't think I can handle a relationship? She can't even make eye contact without blushing all over the place. She's nothing I can't handle."

There was no way Kaidan could win an argument with his commanding officer, especially in the field of dating. "I guess you're right, Commander," Kaidan relented as he moved in next to Shepard to make a sandwich of his own.

"I am. Besides, have you seen those lips of hers? My God, those look delicious," Shepard said gazing towards the med bay fancifully.

Kaidan stopped for a moment and looked at the commander strangely for complimenting her lips exclusively. He studied the commander's quixotic gaze and nearly shivered. It was abnormal for him to focus on specifics like her lips. The first thing he remarked about Chief Williams to Kaidan was her back side, but Kaidan shrugged off the aberrant behavior. "Whatever you say, sir."

"Damn right whatever I say, LT. She's gorgeous. She's nice. She's everything a man can want. Am I wrong?" he asked as he nearly finished the preparations to his meal. It was an awfully broad statement though for barely knowing her.

John was generalizing what he really felt about her, and Kaidan could see right through it. The lieutenant knew something was amiss when Shepard would stare in the direction of Liara's room... yet there was nothing but bulkhead to look at.

Liara listened to the conversation attentively from afar and was amazed at what she heard. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach just by the sound of his voice. However, she felt a strange concatenation of joy and confusion. She felt relieved that she and the commander shared a mutual attraction... but there was also confusion because she had very limited experience in conversing with humans. In fact, she was new to having crushes. What he said could potentially hold a whole different meaning from what she interpreted. She began to feel slightly woozy again at the thought of him. She concluded she would retreat back into her room to give her mind some rest. _I'm sure this is just the fatigue still speaking..._

"Well... kind of," Kaidan said quietly.

"Kind of?" Shepard asked before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"It doesn't have to be a she," Kaidan remarked.

Shepard chewed slowly for a moment and swallowed. He didn't care too much about his crew's sexual orientation, but he wouldn't have made so many lewd remarks on the Citadel. "Okay... put on the brakes. You're telling me that every time we play bang or no bang on the Citadel, you're batting for the home team?" Shepard asked with a slight tilt of the head.

"If it makes you feel any better, I was trying my best," Kaidan replied with a hearty laugh. He was relieved to hear that the commander wasn't going to give him a hard time. "Wait a minute, what's wrong with Ash?"

The commander searched his mind for the reasons he stopped giving the chief his charm. She wasn't all that great looking, and she could be abrasive at times. John wiped his mouth with a napkin and cleared his throat. "Okay, Kaidan, I'll let you in on a little secret."

"Another?" Kaidan groaned.

"I like a woman whom I can teach. Someone that I can give an experience of a lifetime. Ash is strong-willed on her own. There isn't much I can give to really change her. You understand where I'm coming from?" John asked.

Kaidan let John's words set in for a moment. Shepard was a methodical and well-wrought man. Every action of his took careful consideration. Every single decision and its outcomes were thoroughly investigated. It seemed as if he ran on a series of complex algorithms in his thought process. In the end, John always knew just the right thing to say or do if his ego didn't get in the way. The lieutenant bore a blank expression and blinked for a short time before responding. "So you like a weak woman?"

John cracked open a beer and took a swig to allow him to think. He gently set it down on the counter before continuing, "No, Kaidan, I don't think you understand. Compare Ash and Liara for a moment. Ash... she's strong, got a stick up her ass eighteen hours a day, and she can you kill three hundred different ways with a pencil... Jane Wayne if you will. Doctor T'Soni, however, is the... cute... bookish type of girl, you know? Something about her tells me she hasn't seen too many guys. She might have a PhD, but she still has much to learn. See where I'm going, LT?"

Kaidan couldn't wrap his head around John's logic. Why would someone prefer a partner with no experience? His ruthless flow of thought regarding women almost seemed sadistic, and it was as if their emotions were still just a game for his personal enjoyment. He decided to drop it and took a swig of his own beer. "I guess so. Have you made up your as to what you want to do with her?"

Shepard chuckled for a moment. "There's a lot of things I want to do with her, Lieutenant..."

Kaidan rolled his eyes. "Not that... I mean, we are going to the Citadel tomorrow. Are we dropping her off there or what?"

Shepard took a heavy drink of his beer in thought. He had yet to decide what he wanted to do with the doctor. He would have to talk to her within the next day, but he wasn't sure if she even wanted to stay. He wanted her to catch as much rest as she could in the meantime. "Haven't made up my mind. I'll admit... I'd hate to see her go..."

_Liara's Cabin, The Same Time_

Liara slumped her aching body on the bed face first, and she took a moment to run through her mind what she had just heard. She was elated to know that Shepard showed what she thought was a mutual interest in her. After all, he was quite dapper in appearance compared to the rest of the marines. She closed her eyes to picture him again. When she was nestled in his arms, she could smell his spruce scent when he held her close. Upon closer examination, he maintained his facial hair impeccably, not a single hair was out of line. It was simple things like personal hygiene that went a long way. In her mind's logic, if he could take care of himself, then he had room to take care of someone else.

_There are so many other things I need to be worrying about!_

There was also the 'Reapers,' ancient machines that wiped out the glorious Prothean empire? It hardly seemed believable, and she wouldn't mind giving the commander an in depth study. Of course that would prove to be difficult given her feelings for him. Somehow, her attraction to him feasted off of his knowledge and the visions. He somehow had the strength to survive one of the beacons, and she was intrigued by the fact he was able to endure it.

Liara pondered what the commander's apparent affection meant in human culture, and part of her wanted to use the Normandy's extranet connection to research human culture. However, this matter was perhaps best taken up with another human. The thought of confronting the commander himself daunted her, so he was out of the question. A female human would be preferred. _Maybe later... for now... I shall rest._

The doctor began to doze off with the commander in mind, and she slowly drifted asleep. A faint smile ensued on the corners of her lips as she dreamed of the possibilities.

**_Author's Note_**

Please leave a review, I love to hear feedback. I would also set up a release schedule, but I would want to hear what you guys would like first. Considering this novel is 100% complete, I am thinking about doing 3 releases a week, but, again, I would like to hear from you first. Please tell me through a private message or a review. Thanks!

**_Author's Note_**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note**_

Short chapter, my apologies.

I updated chapters 1 and 2 to make Shepard less corny. So feel free to check them out!

**_End of Author's Note**_

_Normandy Mess Hall, Dinner_

Liara sat in one of the isolated chairs in the far corner of the mess hall near the lockers by herself. She came out of her room after another long nap to finally get some food in her stomach, but she was quite surprised about how tired she actually was. The rest was welcomed, and she had whimsical dreams about the commander that she wouldn't dare tell anyone about. She even woke up face first in a pillow that was soaked in her own drool, but it was probably best that she didn't figure out what that particular dream was about.

However, she never made a public appearance on the ship, and she hoped to speak with one of the female crew members about her dilemma. The mess hall was particularly busy around this time, and she decided to wait until everyone cleared out. She had also hoped to maybe catch the commander alone, but she was doubtful that he would notice her where she was. Getting the commander's attention seemed impossible as her timid personality didn't permit her to do anything outgoing. He was on the other side of the mess hall conversing with Kaidan and was not even aware that she came out of her room. She yearned for him to just come talk to her, or even just let his tender eyes land on her for just a moment.

On the inside, she was screaming at herself to just go up and talk to him. Her timorous behavior always got the best of her, but now it was unacceptable. She would eye him longingly from afar and begged for him to just turn around once. Surely he would come over to her. Every time she would try to muster the courage to go talk to him, an overwhelming sense of nervousness flooded through her.

Liara had also managed to set up her personal computer and put on a clean field coat. She also discovered she had a personal bathroom and used it to take a much needed shower. The Normandy's hot water supply was some of the best relief she had ever felt in a long time. She even had her own soaps with her personal equipment, and she felt quite content with her current cabin. She had a high speed extranet connection, a plushy bed, her own bathroom, and all of her personal belongings with her. _It would be nice to call this place home..._

Liara also knew that she needed to speak with John about her staying on the Normandy. The mission was too important for both of them for her to leave. She needed to help Shepard interpret his visions as well as help him find the Conduit. He needed a Prothean expert, and she also knew how to use her biotics quite well.

Her eye caught a female crew with brown hair member filling her mug with a hot drink, and she tried to find the courage to get her attention. She tried to clear her throat to get the human's attention, but nothing happened. She took a deep breath one more time and sat up straight in her chair. "Excuse me?" she asked just loud enough to be heard and hoped that their conversation would go smoothly.

Chief Williams swiveled her head around to find the source of the voice over the roar of the crowd. She looked behind her with a cautious expression and saw the Normandy's newest alien. She studied the Asari doctor's innocent features and let suspicion take over. "What do you need?" she asked loudly.

Liara fidgeted in her seat for a moment but remained determined to get answers. "I was hoping you and I could talk about something that I need some help with. It is regarding human culture and practices. May I please have your assistance?" she asked politely. She was unaware that she was playing around with her fingers out of nervousness. Fiddling around with her fingers was a nervous habit she had adopted at an early age, and it eventually stuck with her timid personality as she grew older.

The uneasiness in Liara's expression made it difficult for the chief to be mean to her, and it also appeared that she did in fact have something on her mind that needed to be addressed. Ashley's expression slightly softened, and she took the available seat next to the Asari cautiously. She had no trust for the doctor as she was the daughter of Matriarch Benezia, and Ash also subscribed to the myth of Asari promiscuity. "Okay, Doc... the name's Chief Williams," she said but didn't offer a hand. "T'Soni, right?"

Liara only gave her a slight nod.

"All right, what's up, Doc?"

Liara gulped and tried to keep eye contact with the chief in order to remain polite. "Is it common for a human male to come in close physical contact right when he meets someone new? Such as placing his arm on or around you," she said as she studied the chief intently.

Ashley suddenly felt slightly guilty for assuming Liara was sexually permissive as she barely understood the signs of a basic flirt. However, she didn't expect that question from someone who was unfamiliar with humans, and her suspicion grew. "Well, it probably means he likes you," she said simply before taking a drink of her brew.

Liara wasn't satisfied with the answer. "So what if he calls you... 'lovely'? What does that mean in human culture?" she asked almost impatiently.

_What a stupid question... _Ashley focused on a distant point across the mess hall as she lowered her mug. She felt like her time was being wasted with such obvious questions. "Well, then that probably means he finds you attractive," she answered condescendingly before raising her cup again. She was growing slightly irritated that she had to repeat herself, and it also irked her that someone aboard this ship was trying to get together with an alien. Resentment began to boil up inside of her gut with each question.

Liara took a moment to think about Shepard's behavior and wondered if he did this to every female he met. "Has the commander ever done any of these actions with you?"

Ashley paused her drink and eyed the two men across the busy mess hall longingly. "Well, considering how long we've known each other..." Ash stopped her answer short. The commander probably wasn't interested in her, and he only flirted her once before apparently giving up completely. The commander wouldn't want an alien over her would he? A small sense of jealousy was beginning to transform into something monstrous.

The doctor waited patiently for her to finish, but Ash simply continued to sip at her steaming drink. Perhaps it was best if she came forward. She had never conversed with humans before today, so she was especially nervous about disrespecting their culture. Her heart started to thump harder as her lustrous eyes traveled between John and Ash. Ashley was nearly about to leave when Liara leaned in towards her with glistening eyes. "What does it mean if a human male says you're everything a man can want?"

_Enough of this!_ Ash nearly spit out her coffee upon hearing the question as it confirmed her suspicions that the Asari was chasing tail right off the get go, further adding to her distrust. She tightened her grip on the coffee cup as she continued to think about it, nearly smashing it into ten thousand pieces. "Why are you asking this? Did one of them tell you this? Who did!? Lieutenant Alenko!? Commander Shepard!?" The chief blurted out at the unsuspecting Asari.

Liara flinched at the outburst and decided it was time to take flight or at least find a way to calm the chief. All she could think of now was retreat, but the chief's calculating eyes locked her into her seat. She was almost in tears because she made another conversation error. "No! uh... oh, no, of course not. I just overheard the commander talking about me, and that's what he said. I do not wish to disrespect human culture. I apologize if my inquiry was offensive. I figured you would be able to help me understand," she said in attempt to defend herself.

Kaidan left the mess table and made his way over to the kitchen to pick up some napkins he had forgotten. He was scrounging around a cabinet when he heard Williams' rancorous tone and instantly shot up from his squat.

Chief Williams had developed a soft spot for the commander during the course of her stay on the Normandy. She tried to make it obvious on numerous occasions, but the commander only considered her nothing more than a friend. Her entire time on the Normandy was spent trying to get at least one man to appreciate her for more than just being a badass marine. It was a struggle she was never very vocal about.

Everyone only considered her to be GI Jane and nothing more. To be considered just a tough marine took an emotional toll on her. Then the Asari came aboard and won the heart of Shepard effortlessly. Jealousy coursed through her and rage took over rational thinking. "You listen to me Asari, and you listen to me good," Ash said threateningly. "I don't know who you think you are..."

Liara began to tremble as the tears began to form at the corners of her eyes and her lip quivered. She had no idea what could have upset the chief so much. "Bu- but I-"

"Shut your dick holster! I don't know what your species practices, but the commander is human. If I ever catch you fooling around with either of them, you xenophile who-"

"Stand down, Chief!"

Ash swiveled her head to the voice and Lieutenant Alenko looming over her. The fury in her expression quickly subsided and turned to shame. She would never forgive herself for acting out in front of a superior. "Lieu- Lieutenant Alenko," she said as she snapped to attention.

"Explain, Chief," Kaidan said while crossing his arms.

"I- I uh... no excuse, sir," Ash mumbled in defeat.

Kaidan's attention shifted to Liara, who now had tears streaming down her freckled cheeks.

Liara covered her eyes as she swiftly escaped to her secluded room before anyone else could notice. Kaidan tried to grab her by the arm, but she dodged his grasp on her way out. Her first time socializing with the crew was a mortifying experience. She opened her teary eyes before she entered the med bay and gave John one last helpless look. _Please come to me soon..._

Ashley clenched her teeth as she contemplated the repercussions of her actions. None of the scenarios she conjured up in her mind would yield pleasant results. Her father warned her about envy, and he would be ashamed of his daughter's behavior. She was completely disgusted with herself.

Kaidan shook his head and was at a loss for words. Ashley was obviously jealous of Liara, and there was no denying that. Now he had to decide whether telling the commander was appropriate or not. Liara was an innocent girl who deserved none of that, even if he disagreed with the fact she was trying to pursue Shepard. Chief Williams was also a good friend of his. Ash already showed signs of regret, and the issue between the two girls was really none of his business. The lieutenant sighed as he about-faced and made his way back to his table. He decided to leave it alone as he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

_Dining Table, Minutes Later_

"Okay, Kaidan, you can't tell me that your lasagna is better than my spaghetti," Shepard said and gestured his fork over to the lieutenant's plate.

"I can and I will. Lasagna tops spaghetti any day of the week," Kaidan retorted defensively.

"You're blind, Lieutenant," Shepard said before taking a bite off his fork.

Kaidan shook his head and took another bite of his reheated meal.

Both of their dinners were typical Alliance frozen meals, and their little disagreement was in vain as both reheated meals were awful.

John caught Kaidan's gaze and could tell there something amiss just by the way he looked at him. "What is it, Kaidan?" Shepard asked knowingly before taking a sip from his soft drink.

The lieutenant shook his head and took another bite of his meal to avoid telling the truth.

"Commander," Doctor Chakwas said as she slowly walked to the table.

John pivoted his head over to her with an amused smile. "Doctor Chakwas, glad you're here. Kaidan thinks-"

"Doctor T'Soni just stormed into her cabin crying. You might want to check on her," the doctor cut him off and went back to the med bay.

Shepard dropped his fork and quickly wiped off his mouth. _What possibly could have made her cry on her first day here?_

"Kaidan, try my food and see for yourself. Oh, this may take a while, so would you mind bringing my plate to the sink when you finish? I'm full, anyway," he said as he stood up from his seat.

"Aye aye, sir," Kaidan confirmed. He watched the commander enter the med bay and felt a little guilty for not telling him why Liara was crying.

Shepard entered the med bay with an efficient stride, and he hoped he looked presentable for Liara. He shaved less than an hour ago and applied an ample amount of aftershave. He looked at Doctor Chakwas for a moment with a concerned expression. "Was she bad?"

Chakwas nodded her head slowly before answering. "Yes..." she said quietly.

John to the door and took a deep breath. He found himself feeling nervous about talking to a girl for once, and it was a strange phenomena to have such a feeling welling up inside of him. His words for wooing a woman were always coerced ahead of time, but this time he didn't know what to expect. Luckily, this chat was to comfort her. _Why do I care for her so much?_

_**Author's Note**_

As always, I love hearing feedback, so please leave a review if you feel compelled to say something.

**_End of Author's Note**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note**_

I promise to polish some of this chapter in the future. For now... enjoy!

**_End of Author's Note**_

_Normandy Med Bay_

Shepard raised his hand to the door control but couldn't bring himself to open it just yet. He didn't know why, either. He kept trying to shake off a nervous feeling that seemed to be gnawing at his core. He didn't know what he was about to see, and he could only prepare for it. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes. Comforting a woman was something that came naturally to him... _But why is it so hard now? Why can't I just open the door? Why is Liara so different?_

Shepard softened his expression and pressed the door control. The door immediately snapped open, and his mouth dropped at the heartbreaking sight.

Liara was curled up on her bed with her chin tucked in between her knees, and there was a steady flow of tears pouring down her freckled cheeks. She shifted her eyes to whoever was in the doorway desperately and was relieved to see the commander. He was just what she needed and wanted. _He actually came for me..._

"Hey..." Shepard said quietly as he scooted himself on the bed against her quivering body in the same position. He gently wrapped his arm around her and massaged her shoulder. There was a vibrant heat coming from her body, and he hoped that he was helping.

Liara almost started to feel numb with Shepard's warm contact. She took a shivery breath and was already forgetting about the reason she was crying in the first place. There was actually someone out there who voluntarily went out of his way to comfort her. She shifted her weight against him and nestled her head on his shoulder. Her tears started to come to a halt in their affectionate snuggle.

Shepard felt a sense of satisfaction with Liara's new position as her being emanated a sweet scent that he had never noticed before. She bore an aura of innocence that captivated him like nothing else, and he was compelled to get to the bottom of whatever made her cry. "So what's the matter, Liara?" he asked tenderly.

Liara sniffled for a moment and tried to find a way to answer him, but her words would not depart from her tangled tongue. "I… overheard your conversation with Lieutenant Alenko earlier in the mess hall. You told him that I was everything a man want," she said with a crack in her voice.

Shepard chuckled a bit and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Liara... it was hypothetical. Yes, you are the loveliest thing I have seen in a long time. But I actually want to get to know you first."

Liara finally found the answer she had been looking for from the mouth of John. A warm energy passed between them, and her attraction began to grow fiercely. She didn't know what to say anymore.

"I have to ask, Liara, why are you crying? It was more of a compliment. I couldn't have offended you, have I?"

Liara's head started to hurt slightly, and she realized there weren't too many differences between their cultures. "Of... of course not, I find it flattering. I didn't know what it meant in human culture. But when I asked Gunnery Chief Williams for help... she… she called me a xenop-" She started to bawl again and immediately felt Shepard's rugged fingers stroking her individual scalp crests.

Her tears started to dissipate with each affectionate rub of her crests, and she was starting to feel rather blissful. His touch seemed to be so calming and warm. A chilling sensation of affection traveled through her spine with his contact. She had never been so close to someone before in an emotional time of need, and it felt quite good.

Shepard felt her wet cheek press against his shoulder and moisten his crewman's uniform. "Hey, it's okay, Liara. Don't worry about what she said," Shepard assured her quietly.

Liara's tears came to a halt, and she nodded her head gently. Shepard was an example of what was good in humanity... he was so kind and caring. She rested her head again on his shoulder and bit her lip for a moment. Liara had never felt this way about someone before, and the feelings confused her.

Shepard chuckled for a moment and gave her shoulder a tight squeeze. Her body's warmth was intense, and he could tell that he meant something to her.

A burst of assurance surged through her quivering body with his short reply, and she no longer felt sad at all. How could she feel this way about a man she only met a couple of hours ago? They only knew each other for a day, and they were tenderly wrapped in each other's arms. Shepard's nurturing personality felt like a blessing on her simple existence.

Liara's stomach suddenly growled, and her fanciful train of thought quickly derailed. The last thing she had to eat more than half a day ago was a nutritional supplement bar.

"Sounds like someone is hungry. Let's get you something to eat, yeah?" he asked as he looked into her sapphire eyes.

Liara was slightly worried that the chief was still out there, but she knew that John wouldn't let anything happen to her. She only nodded her head and wiped off her teary eyes.

Shepard slid out of the bed and offered his hand with a warm smile.

The edge of Liara's lip curled into a faint smile as she sheepishly accepted his hand and was pulled onto her own two feet. She rubbed her eyes once again to pick up any left over tears. "Thank you..." she said quietly.

Shepard opened the door and gestured for the timid doctor to go first.

Liara blushed slightly at the offer and rubbed her forearm as she entered the med bay. It was... enlivening to be treated with such care and consideration.

Shepard quickly caught up behind her and was glad to see she was willing to get out of her room. "So what does an Asari eat?"

"Well... we Asari prefer to eat mainly fruits and greens. It would be appreciated if you had any aboard your vessel," she said modestly.

"I actually got some fresh fruits of my own I'll share with you..." he said amiably.

"I look forward to trying them," she said before sniffling. "Thank you."

"Anything for you," he said warmly as he opened the door to the mess hall. He gave the doctor a gentle nudge on the small of her back.

Liara entered the mess hall cautiously and was relieved to see that it had emptied. There was only one crewman, who was on his way to the stairs and didn't notice either of them. She still felt John's hand on her lower back, and it caused the butterflies in her stomach to flutter even faster.

"Hey, go ahead and take a seat at the table," he said as he guided her towards the large metallic table. "I'll find you something you're gonna love. Just hang tight."

Liara sat in the cold chair at the end of the table and kept her hands folded on the surface. She had never felt so at home before, and she was sure she could get used to the ship with him around. "Commander?"

Shepard turned around with a handsome grin and took one small step backwards. "Just call me Shepard, Liara."

The doctor blushed and looked down into her hands on the table. "Thank you... Shepard," she said without looking him in the eye. "Really... it means a lot to me."

"Hey, just relax and enjoy yourself. That's what I'm here for," he said before turning around to the kitchen. He grabbed one of the large plates and proceeded into his personal quarters. There was a small fridge in his front office where he kept his personal foods, which were mainly fresh fruits and vegetables. However, he was excited to show Liara what some of Earth's delicacies tasted like. He popped open the fridge and began to pile one of everything he had onto the plate eagerly. His mind made one mental check of everything on the heavy plate. _Banana, apple, orange, strawberries, grapes, mango, and a peach. Perfect._

John navigated his way back to the kitchen and got a fork and a knife from the utensil drawer. He took one last analysis of the meal before giving it over. There was one thing missing: a drink. Shepard contemplated what type of drink Liara would like. He grinned slightly while he retrieved cup from one of the overhead cabinets and filled it with lemon lime soft drink.

Liara sat with her hands folded at the mess table and waited patiently for her meal. She watched the Alliance News reports on one of the vid screens above the table to get her mind off of her hunger. The doctor took note of how humans dramatically explained galactic events and often distorted the truth. It was no wonder humans had such a bad reputation.

Liara shifted her attention from the vid screen to Shepard carrying a massive plate of colorful fruits and a clear drink. Never before had one person gone this far out of their way to see her happy, and she was elated to see such a wonderful complement of food as well.

Shepard neatly placed the plate and drink in front of her along with a napkin. "Hope you like these human fruits. We got one of everything here..."

Liara was stuck in his gaze for a moment but eventually broke free of it and eyed the meal curiously. There were different fruits of all shapes and colors. She was excited to try them all, but she didn't know where to begin.

Shepard took a seat at the other side of the table and watched her study the smile. "You're allowed to eat them," he said playfully.

Liara nodded slightly as she continued to inspect each piece. There was one that was very peculiar to her, and she had seen it a few times but never bothered to eat it. She picked up the long yellow one and held it in the air. "What is this piece called?"

"That's called a banana. It's one of my favorites... try it," he said with an amused smile.

Liara frowned for a moment and held it close to her face for a better look. The rubbery exterior didn't feel like it should be eaten, but disrespecting the food John gave her was the last thing she wanted to do. She nervously clamped her teeth around it and tried to break its surface.

Shepard started to chuckle at her attempt and shook his head. "No, Liara..."

Liara felt her cheeks burn up, and she dropped the banana onto her plate.. She darted her eyes around in shame, and her nervous brain resorted to looking for a chance to escape the embarrassing gaze of John. She began to stammer out unintelligible apologies and started to get out of her chair.

"No, Liara... please. Stay," he said with a drop of desperation in his voice. "I was just playing, please don't go..."

Liara noticed the nuance in his inflection and decided that he was genuinely sincere. She placed herself back in the seat and extended the banana to the commander. "Are you supposed to remove the skin?" she asked curiously.

Shepard took the fruit with a smile and easily peeled it back to reveal its soft core. "See? You're supposed to eat that," he said as he returned it to her.

Liara once again took the fruit and cautiously took a bite. The mushy fruit was incredibly delicious, and her brain instantly demanded another bite. "Goddess... this is delicious," she said. She quickly consumed the banana and moved on to the next piece in line in silence. Each fruit seemed to taste better than the last.

Shepard smiled happily and watched the news feed above him. He was glad to see that Liara was enjoying herself, and despite her shy tendencies, she felt perfect to him.

The doctor took a drink of the carbonated drink, she had expected it to be water. However, she was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. It had a tangy concoction of fizz and sugar that tantalized her taste buds. She didn't like to tell anyone that she had a sweet tooth from an early age. Sweet things always cheered her up from her childhood and all the way through her college career. "Shepard? What is this called?" she asked quietly.

"Soda. Sugary and delicious," he said casually as he studied her beautiful eyes.

"It is splendid," she said while trying to contain her excitement. She set the cup down and felt very satisfied with her meal. Her plate was littered with the remains of the fruits and all that was left were the grapes.

"So, Liara, tell me about yourself," Shepard said calmly.

"Me? I... I am afraid I am not very interesting," Liara said timidly, and she wasn't able to look him in the eye again. Her heart started to pound out of her chest in fear of making another conversation mistake.

"Oh come on, a girl like yourself has to have something going for her. Just talk to me... I love hearing your voice," he remarked warmly.

Liara smiled coyly and looked down at her plate as her cheeks started to flush more. Her heart warmed with John's affectionate comment. "Well... I spend most of my time on remote digs, removing mundane items from long forgotten Prothean ruins," she answered before popping a juicy grape into her mouth.

"It can get pretty dangerous in your line of work being out in the middle of nowhere and all. How do you handle yourself out there?" he asked hopefully.

Liara instantly recognized her chance to show that she could be useful to him. "Sometimes I run afoul with indigenous lifeforms or a small band of mercenaries or privateers. But I was always careful. I never found myself in a situation my biotics couldn't handle," she said modestly. Her biotics were rather deadly, but she would never boast about them.

Shepard nodded his head and let out a quiet sigh of relief. _We may have a chance, after all..._

"Sounds like it can be lonely..." he said quietly.

Liara looked down solemnly into her lap while remembering the frightening tirade she got from Ashley. "As for the solitude... I..." Liara remembered Shepard's selfless acts of generosity. It would be a lie if she said she didn't like his presence, but even now, she lacked the confidence to be comfortable with him. "Sometimes... I just need to get away from other people."

"I can understand... there are a lot of good people on this ship. I'm just curious, why don't you like spending time with other people? I mean... I hope you like being with me," he said with a light chuckle.

Liara did like being around the commander due to his caring nature, but other people always seemed to brush her off. Many times they outright ignored her, and Liara had never been much of a social butterfly. She made few friends during the course of her college career, but none of them ever seemed to be worthy of the title 'friend'. Her sudden and unfamiliar attachment to the commander was something she wanted to relish. "Yes... I do, of course. I suppose it comes from being a Matriarch's daughter. People expected me to follow in Benezia's footsteps and become a leader of our people. Matriarchs guide their followers into the future and seek the truth of what has yet to come. Maybe that's why I became so interested in the secrets of the past. It sounds so foolish when I say it out loud. It sounds like I became an archaeologist simply to spite Benezia."

"Nah, it's not foolish. I enlisted in the military because my mom didn't want me to. I regret none of it. It's your life to enjoy, not hers. Hell, rebellion is a part of growing up. It's natural."

"You share the wisdom of the matriarchs, Shepard..." she said with a small laugh. "There was more to my decision than that. I felt drawn to the past. The Protheans were these wondrous, mysterious figures. I wanted to know everything about them. That is why..." Liara stopped and looked down again.

A moment passed and she didn't continue. "That is what?" Shepard asked tenderly.

Liara's heart demanded she express her feelings, but her tongue simply couldn't produce the words, nor did it have the will. Showing her attraction was one thing, but telling the commander upfront was another. Part of the reason she found him so compelling was his strong willpower that allowed him to survive the Prothean beacon. Of course he meant a lot more to her than that. Was there something wrong if she liked him even more because of it? "Oh... nothing."

"Well, I tell you what. Let me give you a tour of the ship. I promise, no one is gonna yell at you, Liara," John said as he stood up from his chair.

"Oh... I-"

"Come on... it'll be fun," he said with a handsome smile.

Liara took one last sip of her soft drink and relented. She knew nothing bad would happen with the commander escorting her, and if the Normandy was going to be her new home, she needed to be familiar with it. "Okay..." she said as she slid out of her chair reluctantly.

"Okay... well, this is the mess hall - as I am sure you know by know. Over there is the kitchen - if you want to call it that. It's got a fridge, a microwave, this cool little drink dispenser, and... well that's it." He pointed towards one of the corners of the med bay. "Those are the sleeping pods. You won't be using any of those. In between them are the escape pod hatches, I hope we won't be using any of those in the future." He chuckled. "And of course you know where the med bay is at, as well as your room. And... on the other side," he said while pointing towards his quarters, "is my cabin. If we aren't on a mission, then you will probably find me there or out here. Got it?"

Liara nodded her head gently and took another look towards his quarters curiously. She kept her hands clasped in front of her and her legs closed together. "I understand."

"All right... let's go to the hangar," he said as he made his way down the tight hallway.

Liara followed very closely. She felt the need to be close to him... to feel his comforting presence. He gave her a sense of confidence that allowed her to be herself around him, and she never felt anything like it. His voice... his words... his soft gaze... everything...

Shepard pressed the elevator door control and let her go in first. "After you..."

Liara entered the familiar elevator and the commander followed behind her. _What is it about him that captivates me so much? Is it his generosity? Is it the fact that he accepts me for who I am? Is it that he was able to survive the Prothean beacon? Or is it all of that? I don't know... I just don't know. But I am sure of my feelings now. He is the one for me..._

The elevator made its short descent downwards, and its door opened up from behind her. She turned to face the poorly lit hangar and recognized the armored vehicle and the Turian working on it. She immediately noticed that it was colder on this deck as well.

"All right... so this is the Normandy's hangar," he said as he started walking towards the weapons lockers. He noticed Ash wasn't there and was quite relieved. "Okay, these lockers are for the ground team's combat equipment. Nothing much to see to here besides our Krogan," he said as he pointed to the sleeping Krogan on a cot. "Wrex?"

"Shut up, I'm sleeping," said his grumbling voice.

"Keep doing that," Shepard said quickly before laughing.

Liara was sure to avoid speaking with the Krogan as much as possible, and she quickly decided she would avoid this place as much as she could.

"Wrex is grumpy today," John quietly joked as they started to walk towards the Mako.

"I can see that. Is he always that way?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, most of the time," Shepard crooned. "He won't hurt you, though. As tough and mean as he is, he is smarter than the average Krogan."

"That's... good to hear."

"Okay... this is the Mako. My favorite piece of equipment on the Normandy, and I am looking forward to using it more. You probably remember it," he said before noticed the Turian under it working on something or another. "Yo, Garrus. I want you to meet somebody."

The C-Sec officer slid out from under the armored vehicle casually. "This thing really took a beating down there, Sh-" He stopped and noticed Liara was in a healthy condition. "Oh, hello, Doctor T'Soni. Glad to see you're doing okay," he said while offering his greasy hand. "Garrus Vakarian."

Liara nervously accepted the hand and shook it. "Pleased to meet you, Garrus," she said politely.

"Likewise. I take it the commander is making sure your... needs are met?" he joked.

Shepard smirked at the implication and hoped the doctor didn't understand.

"Yes... um... he is quite hospitable," she stammered out.

"I can imagine..." he commented as he gave the commander a knowing look.

"See you around, Garrus," he said quickly in attempt to defuse the situation before the Turian said anymore.

"Uhm, goodbye, Garrus," Liara said as she followed the commander quickly.

They started walking towards the elevator, and Liara's luminous eyes looked around the enormous hangar curiously. She was actually enjoying herself just spending time with Shepard, and she felt like she could walk with him for hours. She noticed they didn't board one of the elevators, instead, they entered one of the illuminated hallways. She could even feel a strange radiating feeling hit her as they got closer to it.

"And this..." Shepard said as they entered the engineering deck, "this is the Tantalus Drive Core."

Liara's mouth dropped as her gaze landed on the massive power plant of the Normandy. "By the Goddess... it's huge!" she exclaimed over the sound of its whistle.

Shepard turned himself to her and suddenly got lost in her wondrous eyes. She was staring up at the mass effect core in awe, and the reflection in her sapphire irises made his heart drop. Her lips were parted slightly, and the mass effect core's lights illuminated her smooth blue skin that he longed to touch. She was so... innocent... and beautiful.

"Wow..." she whispered to herself. She had never seen anything like it before. She turned her head to John and quickly noticed he was staring at her with an elated smile. "Oh? I... did I so something wrong?" she asked nervously.

"No... of course not... it's just... your eyes, Liara," he said in a captivated tone.

Liara blinked for a moment and hoped there was nothing wrong with them. "Oh... is there something wrong with them!?"

Shepard chuckled for a moment and thought about landing a gentle kiss on her unsuspecting lips, but it might frighten her. "No, no, no. I think they're quite beautiful actually."

Liara's blush intensified greatly. She looked down at the floor and tried to collect her thoughts. She didn't know how to respond to such a flattering comment. No one ever told her _that_ before, except for her mother a very long time ago. Her heart was in her mouth, and she could only stammer out less than half a word.

Shepard frowned for a moment at her inability to even receive a compliment. However, he loved every moment of it. "Hey, you want to meet Tali?" he asked excitedly as pointed over to a Quarian in the corner.

"Oh- I- sure," she replied quietly and was glad to see a change in topics. She started to follow the commander from behind and quickly found the Quarian at her console. She was relieved to see a female alien aboard the vessel and felt a little relaxed knowing she wasn't the only one.

"Tali," Shepard said jovially.

"Oh? Yes, Shepard?" she asked in a busy tone while hunching over a console.

"I got someone I'd like you to meet."

The Quarian spun around and gasped under her mask. "Ah! I'm sorry... I d- I..." She took a deep modulated breath. "I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya... pleased to... meet you," she said awkwardly while offering her hand.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Liara T'Soni," Liara said confidently and accepted the hand. "I've actually only met one other Quarian before."

Tali studied the Asari doctor for a moment and hoped that she could potentially find a friend in her. "Yes... I haven't dealt with many Asari myself."

Liara only nodded her head and let go of the hand. She didn't know how to continue the conversation any further, and an awkward silence ensued. She couldn't tell what the Quarian was seeing, and she quickly grew nervous. She began twisting the fabric on her wrist and held her head low.

"Okay..." Shepard said enthusiastically and guided the doctor towards the other side of the engineering room. "Later, Tali!" he exclaimed while giving a friendly wave over his shoulder. _They're both really awkward..._

Liara furrowed her brow at the strange encounter and already wished it had gone better. If she would be staying on the Normandy for the mission against Saren, then she was hopeful they would get to know each other better.

"Adams! Say hi to the doctor," Shepard said as he walked by the engineer's station.

Adams reluctantly looked over his shoulder and saw the new Asari guest. "Oh, hi, doctor," he said in a amiably and quickly returned to his work.

Liara tried to smile as best she could at the engineer and appreciated the fact John was trying to make her feel as welcomed as possible. She didn't bother to return the greeting; he was currently occupied with his work.

They exited the engineering deck and made their way to the elevator.

"That was an impressive drive core, Shepard..." Liara commented as they entered the elevator.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. The Normandy is a deep scout frigate that's optimized for solo recon sorties. State-of-the-art, too. This was actually a joint project between the Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy with the sponsorship of the Council... so, it's kind of an important ship," he said with a hearty chuckle. "She's good for our mission, though... perfect, actually."

"I can imagine," she said admirably.

"Yeah... you ready to see the command deck?" he asked as the elevator came to a halt.

Liara nodded her head gently and noticed she was excited to see the rest of the ship. She felt much more comfortable when around Shepard, and it was a confidence she wasn't used to feeling. Her eyes weren't able to be pried away from him as they walked, and she was beginning to embrace her attraction to him. She saw no point in denying it, and it was clear he really liked her, too. Her heart seemed to beat in a heavy pattern, and she was resolute about her feelings. She simply didn't know how to express them...

"And away we go..." he said as he led her up the stairs. "This is the coolest part of the ship if you ask me. You'll get to see the Turian design," he said excitedly.

The doors to the incredibly busy CIC swished open, and Liara instantly saw the intensity of the commander deck. She entered the busy area and was in awe at the ship's elegant design. There was a certain aura of efficiency that came from the human personnel, and she thought it captured the traits of humanity. There was also a massive map of the galaxy that John lead her towards.

"And this... is my office," he announced from his platform that overlooked the CIC. He turned around with an entertained smile and signaled the doctor to join him. "Come on up, it's a hell of a view."

Liara reluctantly grabbed hold of the guard rail and walked up the angled platform. She arrived at the top next to John and kept her hands at her side. The galaxy map illuminated her blue face as she watched it rotate. Her eyes occasionally darted away from map when she noticed one of the crew members eyeing her suspiciously. She knew Shepard would protect her, and she felt safe with him at her side. She let her eyes land on the commander's handsome face that had a joyful grin on it and felt at home.

Shepard leaned against the guard rail casually and opened a small console in front of him for course information. They were about nine hours from the Citadel, and he was sure he wanted to keep Liara on board. "And this... this is my home," he said warmly as he watched the crew engage in their evening tasks. _I hope I can share it with you..._

Liara wanted to at least snuggle against him to feel his warmth, but she knew the crew was already suspicious enough. She didn't know if she could even bring herself to do anything physical with him, but she was happy to be with him. "It's a marvelous design," she commented quietly.

"Yes it is..." John said as he stood upright from his lean and faced the doctor. "So? Impressed yet?" he said with a witless grin.

"Oh, yes," she said with a definite nod. "I've never seen anything like it..."

"Here, let me introduce you to Joker," he said as he descended from the ramp with Liara in close tow.

_Who could be named Joker?_ Liara followed the speedy commander and quickly noticed how efficiently he moved through the CIC.

Shepard bore a personal smile as he trotted through his command deck proudly. He gave a quick nod to the Normandy's navigator as he passed him by. "Pressly..."

"Good evening, Commander," he replied as he brushed by Shepard.

Joker sat in his pilot's seat after a long day's work as he prepared to have the navigator monitor the FTL travel away from Therum. He worked nearly fourteen hours a day in his seat, but he always managed to not let it get the best of him. The job hardly required any movement, and he was on the extranet for a good portion of his day. He heard Shepard's footsteps coming up behind him, but he didn't bother to take his face away from his console. "Hey, Commander... so is the doctor hot or what? You never told me..."

Liara's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed even more than she thought possible. She was aware that many human males had an unhealthy obsession with the Asari, and she hoped the pilot wouldn't cause her any problems. She scooted herself behind the commander a bit more and no longer wished to meet the pilot.

"Uhh... right. Joker, I'd like you to meet Doctor T'Soni," he said calmly.

"Ohhh..." he said while slowly turning his head around to see the Asari for himself. His face, however, was more regretful than anything. "Well... I'll say it. This is really awkward. So I'm just gonna turn back around and... fly the ship..."

Shepard nodded his head and pivoted around to give Liara a playful smile. He hoped that it would comfort Liara a little bit. "So... that's our pilot," he said in a hushed tone.

Liara found comfort in his soft gaze and nodded lightly. A wave of exhaustion hit her, and she placed her hand on her forehead again. She let out a heavy yawn and knew that she needed to sleep. Her muscles may have been relieved, but her body was still fatigued from the sudden changes. So much had happened, and she didn't want her tour to end.

"Tired?" Shepard asked just above a whisper.

"Yes... I must still behind on my sleep," she said in the same tone.

Shepard nodded and was a little sad to see their tour come to an end. "Let's get you back to bed, shall we?" he asked while gently swirling his fingers on her back.

Liara nodded tiredly and started to feel even more drowsy with John's sensual contact.

They walked together in silence all the way back to the med bay where Liara reluctantly turned around to face him. In some ways, she wished her day didn't have to end, but she was getting tired. She wanted to know if she could stay with John for the fight. She couldn't imagine having to leave Shepard just when she was beginning to grow attached to him. So much had happened... and it had only been a day. She let her sapphire eyes meet his, and she longed to experience someone else's affection.

Shepard spent a long time in her gaze and yearned to feel her soft purple lips. He felt his cheeks starting to feel warm the more he thought about it, but he guessed the beautiful doctor would be gone within a day. He scratched the back of his head nervously and let out a heavy sigh. "Hey... um... tomorrow we are landing on the Citadel to pick up some supplies... and... I just wanted to know if you would help me with this fight. I totally understand if you want to go... but... I... I could really use you here."

Liara studied his gaze for a moment and moistened her lips instinctively. She was relieved to hear that he needed her, and she would never turn down the offer of a lifetime. A warm energy started to pass between them. "Yes... I will stay with you, Shepard. I understand how important this mission is, and I will do everything I can to help. I promise," she said quietly.

The very corner of Shepard's lip curled into a smile and was overjoyed to hear that she wanted to stay. "That's good to hear... I think we will work together. Welcome aboard, Liara..." he said as he stepped slightly closer but was still unsure of what to do next. He delicately slid his hand into her shaking one and laced his fingers around hers.

Liara gulped and knew what would happen if they kept going. It was the first time someone held her hand like that, and she didn't know how to handle it. She started trembling terribly, and she turned around to open the med bay door. Her hand dropped out of his in nervousness, and she shakily pushed the door control. "I- I must really get my sleep. It has been wonderful, Commander," she stammered out as she prepared to leave.

"Wait. Liara," Shepard said before she could enter the med bay.

Liara nervously turned to the commander, and her chest was visibly oscillating with her heavy breathing. She was actually scared about knowing how to react to him holding her hand, but it felt strangely good, though.

"I'm glad you chose to stay..." He didn't know what else to do, and he didn't want to see her go.

"I am, too, Shepard..." she tenderly before shyly shuffling away to her room.

The door shut, but Shepard still watched in the same direction. He let out a sigh and hung his head low. It was the first time he felt nervous around a woman, but it was also the first time he felt so attached to one, too. A good minute passed, and he nodded his head as he prepared to clean up Liara's plate at the table. _What just happened to me?_

_**Author's Note**_

As usual, I love hearing feedback. Please leave a review and tell me what you think so far.


End file.
